It is PPP’s right to have its mayor in Karachi: CM

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has emerged as the single largest party in the recent local bodies' elections; therefore, it is its right to have its Mayor.

"Had the MQM not boycotted the elections, our opponents would not have taken such a number of seats and they know it very well," Shah said while talking to the media after attending the convocation of the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) at Hindu Gymkhana on Tuesday.

The CM said that the Sindh government wanted to delay the elections due to some compulsions; otherwise the PPP would have won more seats. "We requested the MQM against boycotting the election, but they did not listen to us. As a result, Jamaat-e-Islami received their votes," he claimed. "Otherwise, the Jamaat was not in a position to grab so many seats."

CM Shah said that the PPP had appointed its Administrator Murtaza Wahab for the first time in Karachi's history and what he delivered is not hidden from public view. "Our party has a history of serving this city and its people, and Inshallah we (PPP) will serve them as the Chief Minister and the Mayor," he said.

Talking about the rehabilitation of the flood-affected people, the CM said that he has convened a post-Geneva Conference meeting on January 8 in which the donors would be given projects for the financial support they pledged at Geneva. The donors would be requested to execute the projects for their organisations or their vendors. "Everything must be transparent," he said.

CM Shah said that over 2 million houses have been damaged by the rains and floods. "We have conducted a survey which was a gigantic task and now after the Geneva Conference, we would start distributing money through NGOs which have been made partners for the housing project.

Replying to another question, Shah said that around 20,000 school buildings have been damaged by the heavy rains and floods. "In such dangerous buildings students cannot be allowed to take classes," he said and went on to add. "Therefore, we have decided to house such schools in tents, so that the education process of the children must continue."

Regarding a question about Safe City, CM Shah said that only installation of cameras was not enough, but we have to strengthen our police with the latest equipment and gadgets. He said that the PPP was the worst victim of terrorism. "We, as a nation, have to defeat them (terrorists) with our vision, unity, policies, and with our patriotism," he said and added they were the enemies of our country and religion.

Earlier, speaking at the Convocation Ceremony of NAPA, CM Shah lauded the efforts of Zia Mohiuddin and his team for successfully running the performing art institution under the name of NAPA. "Sindh is the land of Sufis who believed in co-existence, pluralistic society and interfaith harmony," he said and added music, art and culture are the best tools to promote peace and tranquility in society.

At the conclusion of the convocation, the CM distributed degrees among the successful graduates of NAPA.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1^st, 2023.