KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday expressed his displeasure over the performance of the Sindh cabinet and directed the provincial ministers, advisers and special assistants to improve their working.

He expressed these views while presiding over an informal meeting of the cabinet held in the Sindh Assembly building, according to Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani.

Mr Ghani later told Dawn that Mr Bhutto-Zardari also gave approval to induct into the Sindh cabinet Javed Nayab Leghari, Poonjho Bheel and Dr Bande Ali Leghari as special assistant and Shahzad Memon as coordinator to the Sindh chief minister.

Briefing reporters, Minister Ghani said that PPP chief also inquired about transport issues being faced by the people of Karachi and the progress so far made regarding implementation of the various transport and development projects.

Reviewing the situation in Tharparkar after recent downpour, Mr Bhutto-Zardari stressed the need for expediting the pace of rehabilitation work and providing relief to the affected families, the minister added.

Chairs informal meeting of the cabinet; approves appointment of three special assistants, a coordinator of CM

He said he also made different proposals for further improving functioning of the information department by use of latest technology to keep people informed about the projects being implemented for the welfare of the common man.

Three key projects ready

Mr Bhutto-Zardari appreciated the progress made in producing wind energy while reviewing working of the energy department.

He was also informed that the Dhabeji pumping station, Korangi flyover and an underpass on Shaheed-i-Millat Road would be opened for public soon.

In reply to a question, Mr Ghani said that the federal government was not paying Sindh its due share and now even its own allies, Pir Pagara and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, were expressing their concerns against the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s government.

He regretted that a resolution adopted by the Sindh Assembly regarding the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) was not taken seriously in the meeting of the federal cabinet. He said none of the federal ministers from Sindh bothered to raise this crucial issue in the cabinet meeting.

In reply to another question, the minister said that the PPP had no objection to the accountability process if it was carried out as per the law and was not selective.

“It cannot be termed accountability above board as no one has been so far arrested from the ruling PTI despite facing NAB cases,” he said, adding that because of this Grand Democratic Alliance’s Hasnain Mirza did not even seek bail in a NAB case.

He said that there was no example in the history of Pakistan that a case was registered in one province and its trial was conducted in another province. “We are only asking for justice and fair play and not any relief to former president Asif Zardari.”

Referring to a recent speech of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Mr Ghani said that it appeared that the premier’s mental condition was not sound.

In reply to another question, the minister said that there was no point in talking about a party which used money in the party election.

He called for an early judgement in the PTI foreign funding case.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2019