Murad says he is ready to hold census in Sindh
KARACHI (INP): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that he is ready to conduct census in Sindh. “Sindh had already offered to the federal government to start census from here but it could not take it up due to law and order issues and now things are improved and the court has ordered, therefore it would be done and Sindh government would support it completely.”
This he said while talking to media today just after visiting different areas of the city where development works, particularly road sector schemes have been launched on war footings. He was accompanied by Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro, his Advisor Saeed Ghani and senior officers who are implementing Karachi package.
He said that he does not not about the population of Karachi. “Census is most important for nations which help them to make present and future planning to address certain issues like development, budget and giving political share to each and every city according to its population strength. “But why it could not be held is a long discussion,” he said.
He said Pakistan peoples Party (PPP) is running like blood into his body. “It is PPP which has given me this honour (chief ministership), and I am serving people of this province because it is part of its manifesto and it is the commitment of the party with the people.”
He said that he was thankful to Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq. “But the impression being created that I am working sincerely but the party is creating hurdles is totally baseless, unfounded and an attempt to separate him from the party which is not possible in his life,” he said.
He said that there was much hue and cry that the University Road was completely dilapidated. “Today I have come here to start this work. “It has been started in two parts, from Hassan Square to Nipa Chowrangi and from there it would go up Safoor Chowrangi,” he said. Mr Jam Khan Shoro briefing the chief minister said that the cost of road from NED to Safoora Chowrangi would cost Rs777.9 million.
It is around 4.4 kilometer. He added that the along the road footpaths and service road would also be constructed. “We are changing the water line where necessary,” he told the chief minister.
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that the cleanliness of the city would start from DMC South because its garbage lifting contract has been awarded to a Chinese company which has shipped necessary machinery for Karachi and the work would start from January.
“This is very sad situation that some people are saying that the work of lifting garbage has been taken away from KMC and DMCs but as a matter of fact the cleanliness work is always outsourced all over the world,” he said and added that the Solid Waste Management Authority (SWMA) has not taken the powers of DMCs but the DMCs have started requesting it to clean their areas.
Talking about the powers of the Mayor, the chief minister said that this is not a political matter but these powers have been given to him by provincial assembly. “He is powerful, I am giving him full support he should start serving the people instead of raising this issue off and on,” he said.
He added that he had met the Mayor and discussed all these issues. He wants to serve the people and the same is my agenda. “We all are on the same page as far as service to the people of Karachi is concerned,” he said.
Syed Murad Murad Ali Shah giving credit to former chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that all these schemes of Rs10 billion for Karachi were approved by him. “This is the work which our chief minister had left incomplete I am completing it,” he said.
Replying to a question the chief minister said that the 100 MGD Dhabeji Pumping station work which he had started on Saturady would be completed within four months. “I also assure you that Rs10 billion Karachi package which may cost more that the approved amount would be completed by the end of July.
He added that work on widening of Shahrah-i-Faisal has also been taken up by the contractor. The portion from airport to Quaidabad has been taken up. Before staring the original work patch work had been done to make the road motorable.
Murad Ali Shah said that the road from Jamshoro to Sehawan was in bad condition. It used to take four hours to reach there but now it is one of the best roads and it hardly takes one and half hour to reach from Jamshoro to Sehwan.
He started his visit from Tariq Road where work has been started on war footings. The Tariq Road raod scheme which also includes widening of the road, replacement of water lanes, construction of storm water lane and footpath are included. This scheme would cost Rs516.5 million. It is two kilometer.
The chief minister also went to see the progress and pace of the road from Godra Chowk to Shafiq Mor. This scheme to cost Rs34.5 million. On the way he visited Gujjar Nala at Shafiq Mor where the local government minister Jam Khan Shoro briefed him about the removal of encroachment. The nala has been cleansed.
The chief minister on the request of Jam Khan Shoro allowed him to construct road along the Gujjar Nala from where encroachment has been removed.
The chief minister catagoriaclly told the PD of Karachi Pacakage Mr Niaz Soomro and his team that he would be visiting the schemes to see their quality and pace of work. “This is very much clear that there would be no compromise of the quality of work,” he said and took him the number of the concerned engineers so that he could remain in touch with them.
“We have started development work every where in the city which would cuase serious problems like flow of traffic and such others, but you have cooperate with the government because all this is being done for you (Karachiites),” Syed Murad Ali Shah concluded.
