Saturday, April 12, 2008, Rabi-ul-Sani 5,1429    

Mission of BB to be carried forward: Qaim

Karachi—Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah Friday resolved to carry forward the mission and programme of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and follow her footsteps in this regard.

He was talking to the media after paying homage to the Founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah and laying a wreath and offering fateha at the Quaid’s Mazar along with newly inducted provincial Cabinet Ministers. Earlier, on arrival at the Quaid’s Mausoleum, the Chief Minister was presented a guard of honour.

Qaim Ali Shah said it was due to the struggle and sacrifice of Benazir Bhutto that a 21-member cabinet took oath today which also included one representative of ANP.

He said a major phase of cabinet formation is completed today while second phase will also come soon.The Chief Minister said there is lot of work before the Sindh Cabine to do and so were the expectations of people which are quite high.
“We will work whole heartedly to solve the problems of people”, he declared.

Cheif Minister said our intentions are clear and they have not come into power from back door. He saluted the people of Sindh who, despite rigging and irregularities in the elections, returned the PPP to power and now our endeavour will be to come up to their expectations and give them relief as they have suffered a lot for the last more than 10 years.

He said they were kept deprived of their rights and jobs. They lived without law and order and bad conditions in the health, education sectors, unabated price spiral.

He pointed out that power supply situation was bad but people must have felt some change and improvement in the situation during the last 2-3 days.

Qaim Ali Shah said the conditions will be kept improving and government will emerge successful with the cooperation of people.

Replying to a question about talks with MQM, the Chief Minister said that there had been a deadlock in contacts between PPP and MQM, but these are now being resumed and the committee formed earlier will meet in a day or two.He said they wanted to have consensus governments in all the Provinces. They have consenses government at the centre and with the ANP in Sindh.

He said talks will be resumed with MQM and these will be carried forward to augment the democratic process.

To another question, he said no one would be allowed to take law and order in hand in Karachi or elsewhere in the Province and it is our responsibility to maintain peace.To another questioner he said second phase of cabinet formation will come soon but he cannot give a timeframe for the same.—APP