Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that during the last 12 years, the provincial government was facing multiples challenges such as worst law and order, floods of 2010 and 2011, COVID-19 and now floods of 2022 despite the fact that the government had contributed a lot in the provincial as well as national development.
He said this while addressing a 75-member delegation of Security Workshop-24 of National Defence University (NDU) led by Brigadier Tariq Niaz at the CM House on Thursday.
Minister for Information Sharjeel Memon, Minister for Local Govt Nasir Shah, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, IG Police Ghulam Nabi Memon, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, Home Secretary Saeed Mangnijo, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi and other concerned secretaries were also present on the occasion.
Syed Murad Ali Shah said that when the PPP came into power in 2008, there was worst law and order situation in the province and this was the first and foremost challenge for the provincial government.
Karachi was ranked 6th among most dangerous cities in the world on the international crime index in 2014 and now it is at 128.
“When law & order becomes a problem, the business and other all other activities such as economic, development, educational, cultural activities come to a standstill,” he said and added that law and order was restored followed by reconstruction of the city’s infrastructure.
The chief minister said that the Afghan war was also responsible for terrorism, therefore a National Action Plan (NAP) was launched under which targeted operation was initiated which produced the best results.
Syed Murad Ali Shah said that Sindh was a plural society where people of different religions live together for centuries.
“Our people believe in co-existence, therefore not a single suicide bomber belongs to Sindh, all were imported,” he said.
The chief minister said that investments in Karachi have remained high on agenda for undertaking development activities for infrastructure and services.
He added that Rs. 137.3 billion were incurred in the last five years for development projects mainly for internal roads, water supply, sewerage, solid waste management, storm-water drains, and transport & mass transit.
Syed Murad Ali Shah said that 150 km of roads were constructed through 73 major projects along with storm water drains, 14 flyovers/underpasses/bridges on major roads.
He added that four Bus Rapid Transport (BRTs), 31 major schemes for water supply and sewerage systems and 28 major schemes for health and education infrastructure were in progress.
The chief minister said that coal-fired power generation in Thar was a great achievement of the Sindh government. “When coal mining was started in Thar people were making fun of it but made the day,” he said.
Syed Murad Ali Shah said that when the coal mining and installation of power plant projects started the transportation of machinery to Thar was a big challenge; therefore the provincial government constructed the Sujawal Bridge on River Indus.
“A wide road network was established in Thar up to coal field and then an airport was constructed there so that investors and their staff members could travel easily,” he said and added today Thar was contributing around 1000 MW to the national grid.
Syed Murad Ali Shah said that the Nooriabad power project in which his government had shares was providing uninterrupted 100 MW electricity to Karachi.
We have also constructed another bridge, Sir Aga Khan Jhik-Mulakatiar bride on River Indus and the third one is under construction to connect Kandhkot with Ghotki to facilitate the smooth flow of vehicular traffic between three provinces, Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab.
