Sindh

I am only accountable to Sindh Assembly: CM Murad

Shah says Sindh ready to take over HESCO, SEPCO if Centre gives subsidy for next 5 years

Our Correspondent January 26, 2021

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. PHOTO: PPI

KARACHI:

Days after his spat with Federal Minister Ali Zaidi, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said on Monday that he is neither accountable to the prime minister nor any other official of the federal government.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the Dow University of Health Sciences’ (DUHS) Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Facility and Dow Institute of Life Sciences at the Ojha campus, the CM said that he is not answerable to anyone other than the provincial assembly.

“According to the Constitution, I am answerable to the Sindh Assembly and to no one else, not [even] the prime minister. The provincial assembly elected me, I answerable to them and I will answer them,” said Shah.

Addressing the ceremony, the CM further stated that the letter shared by Zaidi was confidential and he will not be discussing it before the media or the public. “My letter was confidential and [I] couldn’t understand how it was leaked to the media.”

He further clarified his answer should not be taken as negative but as a matter of fact that the CM is only answerable to the provincial assembly.

Power utilities

The CM further disclosed that a Chinese company was in contact with the provincial government to run the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) and the Sukkur Electric Power Company (SEPCO) in partnership with the Sindh government. He apprised that he had written a letter to the premier earlier and requested him to hand over the both the power utilities to the provincial government on the condition that the subsidy would continue for the next five years.

However, Shah added, he does not know of the PM’s decision in this regard. “I don’t know what decision the federal government has taken about handing over power distribution companies to his government,” he said.

Replying to a question, the CM said that both the companies are running at a loss.

Earlier, DUHS VC Dr Saeed Qureshi said that he was short of Rs100 million to make the diagnostic facilities completely functional. At which the CM announced the decision to provide Rs100 million if the facility could be completed by June 30 and Dr Qureshi agreed.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2021.