Uplift funds issue could be taken to courts, warns Bilawal

PPP chief declares party is ready for elections; seeks immediate announcement of polls date

KARACHI:

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Monday he would raise Sindh’s development funds issue with the chief election commissioner and the caretaker chief minister, warning that if the matter was not resolved, he would approach the courts.

Addressing the PPP’s elected local bodies representatives, according to a press release issued by Bilawal House Media Cell, Bilawal announced that the party would observe the 16th anniversary of the Karsaz tragedy at the district level on October 18.

The PPP chairman told the local bodies representatives that the issue of funds allocation for the development projects in Sindh would be raised with CEC and the caretaker chief minister. “If necessary, the court will also be approached,” he added.

He exhorted the local bodies representatives to also write to CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja and the Caretaker Chief Minister Maqbool Baqar about the ban on development projects. He reposed his confidence in the CEC and the chief minister's commitment on carrying out their official duties.

“We [the PPP government in Sindh] enacted laws that the development schemes will continue. We want development projects of the federal and provincial governments to continue. The Election Commission[of Pakistan (ECP)] should continue the development works approved in the budget.”

The PPP chairman warned that if the ECP did not follow, the entire country would be affected, “because the development works provide employment to the people, which in turn benefits the economy”. He added that that the elected representatives had been complaining about limited resources.

Bilawal impress upon the elected representatives to play their active role in resolving the problems of the people. He urged them to establish effective communication with the people, and strengthening their roots. He also warned the elected representative against any corruption in the public funds.

“If there is corruption even in these meagre resources, it is the loss of the people and I will not tolerate it. If someone thinks that they take advantage of their position without being questioned, they should remember that I am here and I will definitely ask them,” he warned.

Bilawal announced that the PPP was the only party which was ready for the general elections. He criticised the leaders from other political parties were speaking about delaying that elections over one pretext or the other.

“Sometimes a so-called leader talks about constituencies issue on the TV. Someone [else] says that it will be very cold in January, and some leader says that there will be a law and order problem. People should recognise such leaders who they are, and who are running away from the election,” he said.

Speaking about the prevailing economic situation, Bilawal said that people were in dire need of Roti Kapra aur Makan [food, clothes and shelter] and for that they had pinned their hopes on the PPP. He assured that the PPP wanted to resolve people's problems.

On this occasion, PPP Women's Wing President Faryal Talpur, PPP Sindh President Nisar Khuhro, Secretary General Waqar Mehdi, Information Secretary Aajiz Dhamrah, and former chief ministers Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Syed Murad Ali Shah were also present on the occasion.