KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that the draft local government law was under consideration in the select committee of the provincial assembly.

“We have already decided in the cabinet that the local government law will be amended in the light of the Supreme Court judgement,” he said and added the draft law had nothing to do with the local government elections.

Speaking at a press conference here at the CM House, he claimed that the amendments to the LG law had nothing to do with the local government election process for which would begin from Thursday in four divisions of Sindh.

“The Grand Democratic Alliance has no understanding of the amendments being made in the local government law, therefore, they thought that it would affect the local government elections,” Mr Shah said, adding that the amendments were being made in the function of the local bodies and not in the main law.

Claims status of fire engines across province is being assessed after Mehar tragedy

Flanked by his cabinet members Saeed Ghani, Sharjeel Inam Memon and Barrister Murtaza Wahab, the chief minister said the local government election schedule would not be affected with such amendments.

462m subsidy of essential items

He said the provincial government decided to give a subsidy of Rs462 million on flour, sugar and ghee at as many as 108 ‘Bachat Bazaars’ set up in all six divisions of the province, including 34 in Karachi.

He said that the provincial government was giving subsidy on essential commodities as part of its measures to stabilise prices in the market.

“This subsidy would continue till the end of Ramazan and simultaneously the government is taking concrete measures to stabilise prices in the market,” he added.

He said that the provincial government had 34 bachat bazaars in Karachi, 19 in Hyderabad and Sukkur, 17 in Shaheed Benazirabad, 10 in Larkana and eight in Mirpurkhas.

“The atta [flour] is being sold at Rs400 per 10kg at all 108 Bachat Bazars set up across the province, while the market price is Rs800 per 10kg,” he said, adding that sugar was being provided at Rs70-75 per kg against the market price of Rs85 to 90 per kg, while ghee was available at Rs410 per kg against the market price of Rs450 per kg.

Replying to a question, the chief minister said that the provincial government had no ample resources to subsidise food items the whole year. “Yes, we are working hard to stabilise the prices in the market,” he added.

Mehar fire incident

The CM said that the unfortunate and painful incident of fire in village Faiz Chandio, taluka Mehar, District Dadu claimed nine lives.

“This was a tragic incident,” he said and added he had got the assessment of the damages which come to around Rs33 million.

“I had personally visited the unfortunate village and met with the affected family,” he said and added that he had announced a Rs500,000 compensation for lost life and Rs200,000 for an injured person.

Mr Shah said that his government has so far paid Rs4.6m to the affected families. He added that the NDMA had also announced a compensation package of Rs10m, of which Rs7.5m had been paid.

Giving details of strategic actions, Mr Shah said that directions have been given to all concerned to immediately put in place the Rescue 1122 System and implement its key components.

He added that the status of fire engines across the province was being assessed and immediate measures would be taken for making them operational after repair as well as equipping with the new ones at the missing areas.

Loadshedding

Mr Shah deplored that 12- to 14-hour loadshedding was being carried out in the rural areas of the province.

“I had taken up the issues with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a meeting with him at CM House,” he said and added the prime minister then and there directed the concerned ministry to resolve the issue.

The chief minister deplored that the outgoing PTI government made an over 700 MW power plant non-functional for want of fuel.

As far as loadshedding in Karachi is concerned, the CM said that he had talked to the MD K-Electric not to resort to loadshedding as the electricity shortfall of the KE had been met by the federal government.

Replying to a question, Mr Shah said that he had given a wake-up call to his anti-polio team after detection of a polio case in Waziristan.

“Our health department is working hard in the high-risk areas and we will succeed in eradicating this crippling illness,” he added.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2022