ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday assured the Muttahida Qaumi Movement of Centre’s support to address problems confronting Sindh, particularly Karachi, after an MQM delegation presented five demands to him to address key issues of the province.

The demands presented by the MQM delegation comprising Minister for Information Technology Amin-ul-Haq, Senator Faisal Sabzwari, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Javed Hanif, Amir Khan, Waseem Akhtar and Kunwar Naveed Jameel were: allocation of funds for new census in coming federal budget, funds for uplift work under Karachi Development Package, an inquiry into “issuance of fake domiciles” of Karachi, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas, early functioning of Hyderabad University and eradication of bandits’ sway and corruption in Sindh.

Talking to Dawn, IT Minister Haq said the MQM delegation asked the prime minister to ensure implementation of his own decision regarding holding of fresh census that should be completed before next general elections in 2023. “We asked the prime minister to ensure that required funds are allocated for this purpose in coming budget,” he added.

He said the delegation also demanded allocation of a “big amount of funds” for development activities in Sindh, particularly Karachi. “The delegation told the prime minister that unlike the three other provinces, the PTI allies are facing an anti-Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government in Sindh where the provincial government does not pay heed to basic civic problems of Karachi and other areas dominated by the MQM and the PTI,” he said.

Mr Haq said the issuance of fake domiciles of Karachi, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas also came under discussion and the MQM demanded a high-level inquiry into the scam.

Addresses groundbreaking ceremony of Lodhran-Multan road

The delegation, he said, also demanded early functioning of newly established Hyderabad University. He said a bill regarding establishment and functioning of the varsity would be tabled in the National Assembly on June 7.

Regarding what he called “dacoits’ Raj” in Sindh, Mr Haq said the prime minister was apprised that some members of the provincial assembly and local politicians were backing bandits and were involved in mega corruption that had paved the way to joblessness, poverty, injustice and pathetic conditions in the urban areas etc.

The IT minister said the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and the prime minister assured the MQM delegation that its demands would be met.

Prime Minister Khan said the federal government was aware of development needs of the people of Sindh and the problems faced by them, Mr Haq said. “The federal government is playing its role in addressing the problems faced by the people of Sindh and would continue to do so in future as well,” he added.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail was present at the meeting during which the problems of Sindh, particularly Karachi, its development needs, development projects under next budget and matters relating to the PTI-MQM alliance were discussed.

Besides presenting proposals for the next budget, the delegation expressed the MQM’s support to the budget.

The prime minister assured the delegation that the development needs of Karachi and Hyderabad would be considered during the preparation of next budget. “Since the progress of Karachi — the economic hub of the country — is the progress of Pakistan, its development and solution of its problems will be ensured,” he added.

Multan-Lodhran road

Addressing the groundbreaking ceremony of Lodhran-Multan road, the prime minister said the country’s economic turnaround had brought down the curtain on “bad days” and heralded an era of economic growth, wealth creation and jobs for youth.

“I believe bad days have passed. Insha Allah (God willing), in the coming days, Pakistan’s economic growth will not be turbulent, with up and down cycles. Pakistan will start its journey from when it was the fourth largest economy in Asia in 1968 after Japan, China and India,” he said.

The 62-kilometre north-bound section of N-5 will connect the districts of Multan, Lodhran and Bahawalpur. The project will be completed in two years at a cost of about Rs6.8 billion.

Mr Khan claimed that the incumbent government had constructed three times more roads as compared to the previous government, which was known only for building roads. The prime minister said the government faced criticism from the opposition which wanted to topple the government unless their leaders were given NRO.

“My own people had to face tough time. The media also gave an impression that Naya Pakistan can emerge by switching on a button,” he said.

The prime minister said it always took time to change the status quo as the mafias resisted any such movement to protect their interests. Similarly, the opposition yearned for the government’s failure to protect their laundered money and properties abroad, he said.

Contrary to India, Mr Khan said, Pakistan was sailing through the Covid-19 situation owing to the government’s prudent policies although the two countries had identical population density and weather conditions. He said the IT sector was under the government’s focus to exploit its immense potential as India was earning around $80 billion from IT exports.

Mr Khan said the construction of 10 dams was in progress to produce clean energy and utilise the 50,000MW potential of hydropower. For the first time, tree plantation on a massive scale was being done under the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami and new national parks were being developed, he added.

In his address, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the Lodhran-Multan road would benefit three districts and connect two divisions of Multan and Bahawalpur.

He said the South Punjab Secretariat was an extraordinary step that would go a long way in strengthening the federation by addressing the political imbalance.

Communications Minister Murad Saeed said work on the Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway would start in three months.

He said during two and half years of PTI government, the National Highway Authority had increased its revenue by 105 per cent. He said work on the Sialkot-Kharian motorway would start within 10 days and on the Kharian-Rawalpindi section within three months.

Later the prime minister met a number of PTI legislators from national and provincial assemblies.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2021