All hands on the deck to deal with rain emergency: Sharjeel

KARACHI:

Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has said that PPP government's officials are active across the province amid relentless rain induced by a rare cyclone in the Arabian Sea off Karachi.

"Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab stayed up all the night on Thursday to ensure drainage of rainwater, while Hyderabad's mayor was also present in the vulnerable areas of the city," Sharjeel said while addressing a news conference on Friday.

"PPP's MPAs and MNAs are also present on the ground. Everyone will remain on the ground until rainwater is drained out," he said, adding that Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah was personally touring the rain-affected areas, while the provincial irrigation minister was overseeing situation at dams. "The government is doing its best to mitigate the effects of rain and ensure the safety of citizens."

The senior minister complained of lackluster response from HESCO and SEPCO during the relief operations of the government. "The provincial government has spoken to the federal government in this regard," he added. "Drainage is possible when the pumping machines operate. And they require electricity to operate, but power supply is erratic," he explained.