KARACHI: Presiding over a meeting of his cabinet members and advisers, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah condemned the coup against the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto by Gen Zia on July 5, 1977.

“July 5 will always be observed as a ‘Black Day’ in the political history of Pakistan because it was the day when a democratically elected government was removed, martial law was imposed, political leadership and workers were arrested and tortured,” he said.

Addressing the meeting, Mr Shah said: “Look at the revenge of the history that Shaheed Bhutto is not only alive in the history but a source of inspiration while Gen Zia has become a stigma on the political history of Pakistan.”

Cabinet expresses concerns over prolonged loadshedding across the province

Ministers told to perform better

While giving the message of party leadership to his ministers and advisers, the chief minister asked them to improve their performance. “The party leadership wants the ministers and advisers to perform better, resolve public problems, develop close association with the people who feel to be isolated during these pandemic days and guide them how to lead life with Covid-19, help them if they need,” he said.

The ministers assured the CM that they would work hard as desired by the party leadership.

The CM said that Covid-19 had spread all over Sindh.

He urged the ministers and advisers to enforce implementation of standard operating procedures through district administration so that coronavirus could be contained.

The participants of the meeting said that locust swarms had wreaked havoc with crops. They pointed out that after heavy rains in Thar the locust must have started breeding.

It was pointed out that the aerial spray was needed. Otherwise, all the crops of Kharif would be eaten away by the locust swarm.

The meeting urged the federal government to intensify aerial spray work.

Cabinet irked by loadshedding

The ministers and advisers openly talked against loadshedding all over Sindh.

They said that on the one hand the government was urging people to stay home and on the other the power companies resorting to loadshedding forcing the people to get out of homes.

They were of the view that if such a situation continued “neither we would be able to get rid of Covid-19 nor improve industrial production”.

Information and Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Shah urged the K-Electric, Hesco and Sepco to exempt institutions of essential service from loadshedding and asked them to improve their performance.

Briefing the chief minister, Mr Shah said that keeping in view the forecast of heavy rains he had put all local bodies and water boards on alert.

He assured the chief minister that in case of heavy downpour all the institutions would be in field to help the people.

The chief minister directed the district administration and provincial disaster management authority to be on alert and responsive in case of heavy rains.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2020