KARACHI, Jun 13 (APP):Federal Minister for Information and
Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Sunday ruled out the possibility of
imposing governor rule in Sindh, saying the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
(PTI) government considered it a non-democratic and extra-constitutional
step.
The Federal Government, however, was in favour of the
implementation of Article 140-A of Constitution, which required the
provinces to establish a local government (LG) system, and devolve
political, administrative and financial powers to the LG elected
representatives so that the basic issues of people could be resolved at
their doorsteps, he told a press conference here at the Sindh Governor
House.
The minister questioned the Sindh government where did it spend
over Rs 1,800 billion which it had received under the National Finance
Commission award in the previous years as nothing on ground was seen.
An amount of over Rs 700 billion was earmarked for the province in
next year’s federal budget, he added.
He lamented that despite having a major chunk of national
resources, the people of Sindh were suffering only because of the
policies of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government, which had
completely failed to resolve their problems.
The health system in the province had deteriorated to the extent
that the Supreme Court judges had to observe that the hospitals devolved
to the province should be handed back over to the Federal Government for
improving their service delivery, the minister remarked.
Similarly, he said, the deplorable condition of development
projects, broken roads, and non-availability of drinkable water and
other basic facilities spoke volumes about the provincial government’s
performance.
The PPP government had failed to maintain law and order even in the
provincial capital, he added.
Fawad deplored the Sindh government for not convening the meeting
of Provincial Finance Commission, nor putting financial resources at the
disposal of LG bodies or devolving administrative powers to them.
In a total contravention of the Constitution, he said, all the
decisions were being made at the Bilawal House undermining the authority
of provincial assembly and cabinet.
“This is a constitutional crisis in itself,” he added, urging the
Supreme Court to ensure implementation of Constitution, particularly
Article 140-A in Sindh as it was the only statutory procedure for
granting basic rights to both urban and rural areas of the province.
The minister said the PTI government was committed to resolve the
issues being faced by people of Sindh, which evident from the growth
oriented budget 2021-22, being hailed by every segment of the society,
including trade and industry.
He said the next fiscal year would be the year of the development
of Pakistan and prosperity of its people as the government focused on
provision of relief to common men as well as agriculture, industry and
business sectors in the budget.
Kamyab Jawan Programme, housing projects and Ehsaas Programme
covered different segments of the society, he added.
Fawad said recently, when the national power transmission system
was under severe pressure and the electric supply in the entire country
was disrupted, Karachi comparatively suffered less than the previous
years. The reason was that the Federal Government was providing 500 MW
additional electricity to K-Electric to provide relief to citizens of
Karachi, he added.
As regards the issues of journalists fraternity, the minister said
the Federal Government wanted to constitute Pakistan Media Development
Authority to ensure the rights of media professionals and resolve their
problems.
He said the government had paid the outstanding dues of Rs 1.17
billion to the media houses so that they could pay salaries to the media
workers and journalists.
As the minimum wages (in the budget) had been fixed at Rs 20,000,
the media organizations should also raise the salaries of their workers
accordingly, he added.
With regard to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Fawad said its
leadership had realized that the party had no political future,
therefore they had resorted to antagonistic politics. They were opposing
each and every step of the government without any sound reasoning. They
had rejected the right of vote to overseas Pakistanis, use of electronic
voting machines and other people friendly measures.
He said the PML-N leaders had undermined the vital role of overseas
Pakistanis in the country’s development and financial stability. The
expatriates were sending their hard earned money to their homeland while
the PML-N leadership always laundered taken the money made through
corruption and embezzlement broad, he added.
To a question, Fawad said the Federal Government was fully
committed to carry forward the Green Line Project, but the provincial
departments were not cooperating in that regard. Sindh Governor Imran
Ismail and Federal Minister Asad Umar were fully focused to resolve the
transport issues of mega city, but the Sindh government’s reluctance was
a hurdle.
To another query, he said the Sindh government was demanded more
funds. The funds allocated by the Centre in the past for specific
purpose were not utilized, rather the same were transferred to foreign
bank accounts, he alleged.
“We want to spend the funds for the betterment of public,” he said.
Responding to a question on the performance of state-owned
entities, the minister said the PPP’s last regime had destroyed public
institutions by large scale induction of employees and mismanagement,
but the PTI government was now taking remedial measures to save them.
The incumbent government had appointed heads of 60 of entities
purely on merit, whose performance was improving, he added.
As regards distribution of irrigation water, Fawad said the Indus
River System Authority was releasing water to Sindh sa per its share.
Punjab was not taking water from Sindh’s share, rather it were the PPP
leaders who were usurping and stealing the water of farmers and
growers, he added.
He said the Federation had suggested Sindh to appoint impartial
observers on entry points but Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had not
accepted the proposal as it would expose their water theft.
The minister said the Sindh government was not ready to provide
Health Card facility to people of the province. The Health Card was a
comprehensive medical facility for the deserving population as it
provided the coverage of Rs one million for treatment of various
diseases to each family.
