Daily Times

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Sunday that the ongoing locust attack on crops was not severe.

The Sindh CM was addressing the media after visiting Bubak village in Sehwan. During the visit, he was accompanied by Hyderabad Police DIG Naeem Shaikh, Hyderabad Commissioner Abbas Baloch, Jamshoro DC Fareedudin Mustafa, SSP Jamshoro Tauqeer Muhammad Naeem and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders Syed Muhammad Shah, Syed Asif Ali Shah, Amanullah Shahani and Saleem Bajari.

“I am constantly monitoring the situation. The crops are not damaged. The Sindh government is trying to make all efforts to control attacks on crops by locust swarms. The Plant Protection Division works under the federal government. This division was established by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. At that time, 17 airplanes had been purchased for the division. However, now only seven airplanes are available. Only one of them is in working condition. This airplane has been sent by the federal government to Sindh to spray insecticides to control the swarms,” the CM said.

He said that PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had completed the promises he had made to the masses. “I think PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari will be the next Senate chairman. He has also remained as the president of Pakistan. Sadiq Sanjrani only became the Senate chairman after the PPP supported him. This decision was taken by Asif Ali Zardari,” he said.|

He said that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had condemned the federal government and the National Assembly speaker. “The budget was approved without hearing opposition parties in the National Assembly. A number of taxes have been imposed on the public. Inflation has increased. All daily-used items have become expensive. Opposition parties gave valuable suggestions about the budget. However, the federal government did not follow any of them. We condemn this act of the federal government. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has badly failed. The public is facing a number of problems due to inflation and price hikes. However, the government is not helping them at all. Everyone talks about the failure of the federal government. People have lost their confidence in the PTI government’s ability to resolve the challenges facing the country,” he said. He said that the PTI government should quit ruling the country and accept its failure.

To a question about the meeting of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz lawmakers with Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Sindh CM said that opposition parties were being harassed by the government.

“Opposition MNAs and MPAs have been facing constant harassment and pressure from the federal government. They are being forced to change their loyalties. This is commendable,” he said.

He said that the federal government had to provide Rs 665 billion to the Sindh government in the current financial year. “However, it has only provided Rs 505 billion to us so far,” he said.

Later, Sindh CM Syed Murad Ali Shah met PPP leader Abdul Hameed Bulaidi to condole the death of the latter’s uncle. He also met PPP leader Makhdoom Zamir in Bubak village.