LARKANA: Sindh Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has said that solid waste management boards have been established in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana and a Chinese company has been awarded contract for carrying out sanitation and cleanliness in Larkana, which has already begun its work.

The minister told journalists after visiting a proposed landfill site on the outskirts of the city on Thursday that the Chinese company had started sanitation work in the first phase and it would collect waste from houses in the second phase, beginning from December.

He said that Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had directed all the departments concerned to gear up for the sanitation work and redouble efforts to provide basic facilities to people at their doorsteps.

The sole aim of awarding the contract to the Chinese firm was to bring visible improvement in sanitation and cleanliness in Sindh’s cities, he said, adding that a 70-acre plot would also be earmarked for graveyard.

‘Chinese company has started cleanliness work in several cities’

He said that PPP believed in serving people without discrimination of caste, creed and colour and he was confident the issue of sanitation would be resolved once and for all with the formation of solid waste management boards.

About the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the minister said that the PPP had played a key role in the formation of the movement but now it had adopted a different stance. The movement had been doing well till PPP was within its fold, he said.

“We are preparing for ensuing local bodies elections and we hoped the polls will be held in accordance with the timeframe issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan,” he said.

He criticised centre for sharp increase in prices of oil, gas, electricity, sugar and flour, which had broken the back of the poor. PPP stood by people and it was going to hold countrywide protests against the issues of price hike, poverty and unemployment on Friday, he said.

Meanwhile, PPP chairman Bilawal continued visits of union councils in his constituency to strengthen liaison with workers ahead of local government election.

Speaking at a gathering in union council-8 on Thursday, Bilawal said that his presence in the area spoke volumes for the strong bond he had with workers.

He listened to party workers’ issues and vowed to resolve their problems. He asked the leaders and officials concerned to redress the workers grievances and said jiyalas were his ambassadors, he said.

He said that PPP had always pulled the country out of crisis and ensured rights of haris, labourers and poor masses. Once again, the country was faced with difficult times and “it is our responsibility to steer it out to safety,” he said.

During a visit of UC No6 and 7 of Larkana Municipal Corporation he met workers and listened to their grievances.

He told workers that they were not only jiyalas but their responsibilities had doubled. It had now become inevitable to raise voice against unprecedented price hike in the country, he said.

He said that Friday’s countrywide protest would reflect voice of the people for framing and following pro-people economic policies. It was not just lip-service to say that PPP would open jobs’ windows but it was a reality, he said.

He exchanged views with workers on obtaining political situation and said that Sindh was the only province where doors of Public Service Commission had been closed on the jobless and educated youth had been deprived of government jobs.

He vowed to wage struggle against what he called this ‘puppet’ government because the PPP had a history of fighting against dictators.

He offered condolences to relatives of party workers during his visit of union councils 6, 7 and 8. It was Bilawal’s third day of visiting union councils, meeting party activists and personally listening to people and assessing gravity of their problems in his constituency.

Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, president of PPP Sindh; Jamil Soomro, political secretary to Bilawal, Sindh ministers Syed Sardar Shah, Syed Nasir Shah, MNA Khursheed Junejo, former minister Suhail Anwer Siyal, local PPP leaders and representatives of the party’s sister organisations accompanied Bilawal during his visits.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2021