Sindh CM dismisses idea of handing over Karachi to federal govt

Murad Ali Shah says that there is no provision in the Constitution for such an action

HYDERABAD:

Pakistan's Constitution and Sindh's people stand as a bulwark against any scheme to separate Karachi from the rest of the province, said Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday, dismissing the idea of handing over administrative control of the provincial capital to the Centre.

The CM was addressing the media at the FP protective embankment in Johi, Dadu district, where breaches in the Nai Gaj dam had inundated over a hundred villages and displaced thousands of people.

"If anyone has developed any idea of separating Karachi from Sindh, they should take it out of their mind," he said, warning that the province's people would resist such plans.

Rumours of turning Karachi into federal territory have been circulating since parts of the metropolis were flooded during the monsoon rains in July and Prime Minister Imran Khan sent the National Disaster Management Authority to the city.

The CM said the notion of ruling the port city from the Centre, with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) at the helm, was not plausible. "Karachi is not the PTI government's cup of tea."

He argued that Sindh's people had given their mandate to the Pakistan Peoples Party, adding that no provision in the Constitution allowed federal rule over a provincial capital. "This is merely wishful thinking by some politically and constitutionally empty-minded people."

Earlier, during a Supreme Court hearing, Attorney General (AG) Khalid Jawed Khan said the federation was weighing constitutional and legal options with reference to Karachi.

Flooding in Dadu

The CM was informed during a briefing that breaches in the Nai Gaj dam last weekend had affected 240,000 people and 42,946 houses in 11 union councils and spread over 90 of Johi's 110 dehs.

He was further apprised that 4,000 tents were required to house the displaced people, out of which 3,300 tents had been prepared and were being distributed.

Sindh Rehabilitation Minister Faraz Dero and Provincial Disaster Management Authority Salman Shah told him 20,000 ration bags, 5,000 mosquito nets, 3,000 hygiene kits, 5,000 kitchen kits, 10,000 water cans and 1,000 water coolers had been distributed, while 10 motor-boats were being used for relief work.

Meanwhile, provincial irrigation minister Suhail Anwar Siyal said torrential downpours at the Kirthar Mountain Range on August 7 had triggered flooding, with irrigation officials reporting the dam's water level had increased to 28 feet the next day.

He explained that the dam's Teer Bhit levy was damaged, four hours after which the gushing water reached the FP dyke. He added that the floodwater created immense pressure on the dyke and ruptured it at seven locations, with the largest breach measuring 160 feet.

The CM was also told that 181 school buildings and 33 water supply schemes had been damaged, while their restoration would cost over Rs600 million. Furthermore, over 13 kilometres of roads had been damaged, requiring Rs121 million to be made usable again, and three bridges had also been washed away, he was informed.

Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) chairperson Lt Gen (retd) Muzammil Hussain also visited Nai Gaj dam on Friday to assess the situation and provided assurances of WAPDA's cooperation with the provincial government and district administration.

He was briefed that part of the dam was affected but the main structure remained safe, in response to which he directed relevant officials to conduct a detailed study and submit a report about the damage. He further asked them to recommend measures to deal with such a situation in the future as well.

The dam in question is being constructed on the Gaj river, with a planned storage capacity of 300,000 acre feet, while the command area comprises 28,800 acres. It is approximately halfway to completion, which will take at least another two years if funding is approved.