PTI lawmaker points fingers at Sindh govt for rain devastation

Claims PPP behind protest outside CBC office, responsible for choking DHA drains

KARACHI:

It is due to the negligence of the rulers of Sindh that the entire province drowned, claimed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Haleem Adil Shaikh on Tuesday addressing a press conference.

Pointing fingers at the Pakistan Peoples Party-led Sindh government Shaikh said that millions of acres of agricultural land has been affected and the irrigation department is responsible for these losses.

The PTI lawmaker was of the view that the protest held outside the offices of the Clifton Cantonment Board (CBC) on Monday was backed by the PPP-led Sindh government and there was 'some conspiracy' being hatched. The residents of Defence Housing Authority (DHA) are being punished for voting for the PTI, claimed Shaikh.

Civic agencies are responsible for illegal constructions in Karachi, he said while accusing the provincial government of diverting routers of nullahs and waterways and dumping garbage in DHA drains. According to him, garbage was also dumped in Malir and Lyari rivers.

The Sindh development committee was formed on the directives of the Supreme Court, he said, adding that funds are due from the World Bank and Bahria Town. According to Shaikh, encroachments will be removed and nullahs will be cleaned while the solid waste disposal system, road infrastructure and public transport will also improve. The plan will be shared with the premier, said Shaikh. The Sindh government is given funds under the National Finance Commission (NFC) and now are asking for $10 billion, Sheikh said. He was of the view that the provincial government's demand is part of its 'maal khapi' campaign.

Shaikh was flanked by other PTI MPAs including Tahira Dua Bhutto, Raja Azhar Khan, Shah Nawaz Jadoon, and others. The lawmakers announced their decision to begin a visit in the province during which they will tell the people about the plights of those living in Sujawal, Umerkot, Badin, Talhar and other towns.

According to Shaikh, the funds given to erect saline water nullahs were devoured by rulers who caused the flooding. The largest market of red chillies at Kunri is flooded, said Shaikh. He claimed that government aid was only given to people who hoisted the flag of the PPP. The PTI lawmaker opined that the provincial government had drowned the province and it was the army which salvaged it.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) helped the people of Mirpurkhas and shifted them to safer locations, said Shaikh, asking where was the provincial disaster management authority (PDMA).