HYDERABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) does not take statements issued by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) seriously, Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said on Tuesday. He was speaking to the media after receiving a briefing from officials during his visit to Sukkur to review ongoing development projects.
Shah said that this is not the first time the MQM-P has raised such issues. Sometimes they demand Karachi be handed over to the federation, and sometimes they talk about creating new provinces in Sindh, he added. He said the PPP government is focused on public service, and development work worth billions of rupees is under way in Karachi, particularly projects related to the road network.
Perhaps the MQM-P is upset over the governor issue, which is why they are making such statements, he added. “I don’t want to make them more upset.” Regarding the change of governor, he pointed out that the appointment or removal of a governor falls under the jurisdiction of the federal government, so the decision had been made at that level.
He said that peaceful protest is everyone’s right, but it should also take into account the country’s integrity and unity, adding that this is a time for national solidarity. He warned that if the Iran-Israel war prolongs, it can cause serious long-term consequences. There can be a major oil and gas crisis in many countries, which will also affect other commodities, he said.
He added that Pakistan also needs to conserve fuel, which is why the government has encouraged work-from-home arrangements instead of office work, and urged citizens to stay at home where possible.
He said that an austerity committee formed under the supervision of the chief minister is reviewing the situation on a daily basis, adding that the possibility of a lockdown is also being considered. He also said the Sindh government has reduced fuel consumption of all official vehicles by 60 per cent and has also grounded 60 per cent of the government vehicles.
