LG polls: Setting differences aside, PPP leaders start campaigning

Khursheed Shah admits that parliamentarians have wasted most of the time, ignoring public welfare

SUKKUR: Finally admitting the apathetic attitude of the government and the elected representatives towards real issues, leader of the opposition in national assembly, Khursheed Ahmed Shah, said that parliamentarians have wasted most of the time in issuing statements and counter-statements against each other.

Flanked by his supposed arch-rival in the party, Senator Islamuddin Shaikh, and his son, MNA Nauman Islam Shaikh, Shah spoke to the media in Sukkur on Wednesday afternoon. Shah talked about the upcoming local government elections. “We are going to contest these elections as a party and not as an individual,” he said. “Any party that wants an alliance with the [Pakistan Peoples Party] PPP will be more than welcome.”

Shah spoke about PPP’s strong presence in Sukkur. “We have done and are doing a lot for the development of Sukkur,” he said. “As far as infrastructure of the city is concerned, it is meant for a population of 200,000, which has today gone up to 900,000.”

Among other development works, Shah talked about the establishment of Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, saying that is not less than a blessing for the city. An amount of Rs2 billion has been released for the establishment of a kidney and liver transplant facility, he added. “To provide potable water to the citizens, tenders have been issued and, after completion of the work, residents will get 20 million gallons of potable water daily,” he claimed.

On illegal residents living on the embankments of the canals in Sukkur, Shah said that there are 3,500 houses by the canals and it would not be advisable to render them homeless. “The residents of Katcha Bunder were given compensation, after which they evacuated the place,” he said.

Meanwhile, Islamuddin refuted reports of differences with Shah and said that they are all together and are trying their best for the development of the city. “There is no doubt the North Sindh Urban Services Corporation, responsible for water supply, drainage and sanitation, was not working properly,” he said. “But now we are keeping an eye on it due to which its performance has improved.”

As a close aide of PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, Islamuddin said that he often brings matters relating to Sukkur in the latter’s knowledge. “Sukkur is our city and we are duty-bound to serve its people,” he said.

According to sources, this joint press conference was aimed at showcasing unity among the PPP leaders. This time, the show of unity is for the upcoming local government elections, said sources, adding that the two leaders have already settled matters about the elections. It has been decided that if PPP’s members garner a majority, Shah’s son, Farukh Shah, will become the chairperson of the district council, while Shaikh’s son, Arsalan Shaikh, will become the mayor of the Sukkur Municipal Corporation. On the other hand, Nasir Shah’s son, Kumail Shah, will be the chairperson of the Rohri Municipal Committee, added sources.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 10^th, 2015.