KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday said that he did not know if back-door contacts between the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and the establishment were established, saying “this is purely a matter of the PDM leadership and I don’t know what is happening there”.

This he said while talking to the media here at the Sindh Assembly building.

CM Shah said that the PDM leadership was capable enough to answer this question.

To another question about the Workers Welfare Fund (WWF), the CM said that the fund, under the 18th Amendment, was devolved to the provinces, adding that the provincial assembly had passed a bill for its collection and engaged the Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) to collect the fund on behalf of the Workers Welfare Board.

Says PA passed a bill for collection of Workers Welfare Fund and CCI cannot supersede the provincial law

He said that the federal government, which had failed to achieve its revenue collection targets, now came up with the decision to centralise the Workers Welfare Fund collection.

“I don’t remember when the fund collection agenda was taken up in the CCI [Council of Common Interests] meeting,” he said, adding that he would check the minutes and other documents and then brief the media about the provincial government’s stance on the matter.

“But this is very clear that the CCI could not supersede a provincial law,” he added.

Gas shortage in Sindh

Replying to a question about an acute shortage of natural gas in Sindh, Mr Shah said that the province was the largest gas producer in the country and its people had the first and foremost right to use it.

“I strongly condemn the act of depriving people of Sindh from their constitutional right for using the gas,” he said and added that his government would take up the issue with the federal government.

To another question, Murad Ali Shah said that the Pakistan Peoples Party was organising a public meeting on Dec 27 at Garhi Khuda Bux to observe the death anniversary of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

“Our public meeting would be held in the open and it is not a closed-door gathering that” would help spread Covid-19.

Replying to a question about a statement of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s aide Shahbaz Gill, the chief minister said that his statement was a pack of lies.

“I went to the US on a private visit and behind me some ‘talking machines’ started running the rumour mills’,” he said and added he had no need to respond to the baseless statements of such people.

Talking about his resignation from the provincial assembly, Mr Shah said he and other PPP MPAs, except one member, had handed over their resignations [from the provincial assembly] to the party leadership.

“This is a minor thing and there is no need to worry about it,” he said and added the party had given them the assembly seat and they had the right to take it back whenever they wanted.

Police told to intensify patrolling

The chief minister while presiding over a meeting on law and order directed the Sindh police to start snap-checking of vehicles and start extensive patrolling to improve security in the province.

The meeting was attended by Local Government Minister Nasir Shah, CM’s Law Adviser Murtaza Wahab, Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Mahar, Karachi police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon and others.

The IGP gave a detailed briefing on law and order situation in the province while the briefing of the city police chief was specific to Karachi.

CM Shah directed the IGP to ensure proper and extensive police patrolling in the city and in other districts.

He said that the targeted and intelligence-based operations launched against drug mafia, terrorists, outlaws and street criminals should continue.

“Alhamdulillah, the overall law and order situation in the province is satisfactory but we have to make it exemplary,” he said.

The home secretary briefed the chief minister about measures taken to implement standard operating procedure (SOPs) in the city.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2020