Sindh faced multiple perils: CM

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the provincial government has faced a lot of challenges during the last 12 years, such as worst law and order situation, floods in 2010 and 2011, Covid-19 pandemic and now floods in the current year despite the fact that the government contributed a lot to the provincial as well as national development.

Addressing a 75-member delegation of Security Workshop-24 of National Defence University (NDU), led by Brigadier Tariq Niaz, at the CM House on Thursday, Shah said that when the PPP came into power in 2008, there was worst law and order situation in the province and this was the biggest challenge the government faced.

He said, Karachi was ranked 6th most dangerous city in the world on the international crime index in 2014 but now it stands 128th. "Economic development, education and cultural activities are severely hit when law and order deteriorates."

The chief minister said that the Afghan war was also responsible for terrorism, therefore, a National Action Plan (NAP) was launched and targeted operations were initiated which produced the best results.

He said that Sindh was a plural society where people of different religions live together for centuries. "Our people believe in co-existence, therefore, not a single suicide bomber belongs to Sindh, all were from outside Sindh," he said.

The chief minister claimed that investments in Karachi have remained high following the development activities for infrastructure and services.

He added that Rs137.3 billion was incurred in the last five years for development projects mainly the roads, water supply, sewerage, solid waste management, storm-water drains, and transport and mass transit.

Shah said that 150km of roads were constructed through 73 major projects along with storm water drains, 14 flyovers/underpasses/bridges on major roads.

He added that coal-fired power generation in Thar was a great achievement of the Sindh government.

Shah said that when the coal mining and installation of power plant projects started, transportation of machinery to Thar was a big challenge, therefore, the provincial government constructed the Sujawal bridge on River Indus. "A wide road network was established in Thar up to coal field and then an airport was constructed there so that investors and their staff could travel easily," he said, adding that today Thar was contributing around 1000MW of power to the national grid.

Shah said that the Nooriabad power project in which his government has shares, is providing uninterrupted 100MW electricity to Karachi.

"We have also constructed another bridge, Sir Aga Khan Jhik-Mulakatiar bride on River Indus and the third one is under construction to connect Kandhkot with Ghotki to ensure smooth flow of vehicular traffic between three provinces, Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab," Shah said.

Talking about post-disaster need assessment (PDNA) and the economic impact of floods-2022, the chief minister said that the province faced extensive damage in agriculture, industry, and services sectors.

Minister for Information Sharjeel Memon, Minister for Local Govt Nasir Shah, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, IG Police Ghulam Nabi Memon, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, Home Secretary Saeed Mangnijo, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi and concerned secretaries attended the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th, 2022.