Daily Times

Sindh Minister for Information, Local Government, Housing &Town Planning, Religious Affairs, Forest and Wildlife Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has said that the provincial cabinet on Tuesday reviewed in detail the steps taken to prevent the possible spread of the Coronavirus throughout the province, especially in Karachi.

The provincial Minister for Information said that the cabinet members praised Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah for presiding over the meetings of the task force formed to review the necessary steps to be taken to prevent the possible spread of the Coronovirus in the province on a daily basis. He said the cabinet members were of the opinion that the seriousness with which the Chief Minister took up the issue of Coronavirus was praiseworthy indeed. He said this while briefing the journalists after the cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

The cabinet meeting was presided over by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. All the cabinet ministers, advisers, chief secretary Sindh and other relevant officers were present during the meeting. Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the provincial cabinet was informed that there were a total of four Coronavirus cases in Pakistan, of which two were in Karachi. Referring to the various measures taken in this regard, the provincial Minister informed that a total of nine isolation centers had been set up across the province with 118 beds. In addition, the provincial government had also released Rs 100 million under the Coronavirus Emergency Relief Fund, he added. He said that people coming back from Iran were not only being monitored regularly but also the necessary medical tests were being conducted, of which only two people had been tested positive so far.

The Information Minister said that Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in his briefing to the cabinet told that all the passenger coming from China were being sent back after spending 14 days in quarantine. Hesaid the chief minister in his briefing said that because the people who returned from Iran did not spend time in Quarantine, the virus test came positive in two of them. Chief Minister Sindh told the meeting that he had tackle this issue of Coronavirus personally and seriously, and that he had been holding meetings with all the relevant bodies and representatives on a daily basis in this regard to ensure that all necessary steps were being taken timely.

Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the Chief Minister Sindh while briefing the cabinet members regarding the closure of educational institutions across the province told that that on March 13 all those who had come back from Iran would complete their 14 days in quarantine, after which all provincial educational institutions would be opened. Chief Minister Sindh told the cabinet that many people had been kept in isolation in homes as well. He said that if the children of the people who had just returned from Iran had gone to the schools without spending time in Quarantine the problem could had been extremely serious. The Provincial Minister for Information said that the cabinet after having detailed discussion approved immediate release of 100 million rupees to deal with problem of Coronavirus. He said that besides the purchase of 5000 testing kits, this amount would be spent on taking other necessary steps immediately. He said that only those people who had China and Iran in their recent travel history would would be tested. In addition, anyone who had been with people returning from Iran or China recently or if they had been found to have any symptom of Coronavirus would be tested, the Minister added.

Giving a briefing regarding the procurement of Wheat in Sindh, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah told the reporters that the provincial cabinet had decided to contact the federal government so that Sindh and federal government could fix similar minimum support price for procurement of wheat. The provincial Minister for Information said that the provincial cabinet was informed that the Economic Coordination Committee had fixed Rs.1,350 as minimum support price for procurement of Wheat for 40kg bags. He said that since the harvesting of new wheat crop had been started in the province, the cabinet decided that the rates should be fixed within three days. In addition, the provincial cabinet also approved the establishment of the procurement committees and complain redressal committees, which would work under the concerned Deputy Commissioner, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said.

The cabinet decided to make purchases in different districts on decided dates, the provincial minister said. The Minister also said the cabinet decided to purchase 20 per cent Jute bags, while 80 per cent polypropelene bags for wheat.

Briefing about Dhabeji Special Economic Zone, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the District Price Control Committee, Thatta had approved the price of land of this special economic zone at 25 per cent of the market. The provincial Minister for Information said that in a briefing to the cabinet it was informed that the Sindh government had allocated a total of 1530 acres of land for the Dhabeji Special Economic Zone. He said that the Cabinet also approved transfer of this 1530 acres of land to the Investment department. After this transfer, the Investment Department would now be able to develop this land, he added. Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that Dhabeji Special Economic Zone was one of their signature projects and it would prove to be a milestone in contributing towards the development activities of the country, specially Sindh.

Giving a briefing regarding the discussion in the cabinet on draft of Sindh Water Act 2020, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the draft was presented before the cabinet by the local government and it was proposed for the utilization of land and surface water. The provincial Minister for Informatiin told that the provincial cabinet approved the formation of Sindh Water Service Regulatory Authority under the supervision of Chief Secretary Sindh. In addition, a proposal was presented before the Cabinet to form a Sindh Water Resource Commission, in this regard the Minister said that the cabinet approved the formation of a sub- committee which would work under the Chief Minister to work out the issue. He said that the members of this sub-committee included Advisor Law, Chief Secretary Sindh, Chairman P&D, Secretary Irrigation, Secretary Finance and Secretary PHE. The provincial minister said that the committee would go through the proposed Act and present its recommendation at the next cabinet meeting. Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the government would soon launch a scheme to provide tractors to 6200 growers. The Provincial Information Minister said that the farmers had applied for the tractors’ supply scheme phase-4, and they had also submitted 25000 in this regard. He said that the Sindh government was subsidizing the supply of tractors to the growers and for which 450 million rupees had also been allocated. Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the cabinet approved the launch of the Tractors’ Supply Scheme phase-4. The launch of the scheme had been approved in reference to a guideline given by the National Accountability Bureau, the provincial minister for Information said.

Syed Nasir Hussain Shah while briefing the journalists told that the Cabinet also approved transfer of the affiliation of all the degree colleges of Larkana Division to Sheikh Ayaz University. All the postgraduate colleges of the Larkana Division were affiliated with Shah Latif University, Khairpur. Shah Latif University is located in Sukkur Division. After the approval of the cabinet, all the degree colleges of Larkana Division would now be affliatef to Sheikh Ayaz University, the provincial information minister said.

In his briefing to journalists Syed Nasir Hussain Shah told that the provincial cabinet approved the draft bill of the “University of Mirpurkhas Act 2020”. After the passage of this bill, the campus of Sindh University would be given a status of full university, the Minister said. He said that the Chief Minister of Sindh Syed Murad Alu Shah was of the opinion that since Mirpurkhas was a big city therefore it should have a full university.

According to Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, the Sindh Cabinet also approved extension of tenure of eight vice chancellors of public universities in Sindh. According to the provincial Minister for Information, the Vice Chancellors whose tenure had been extended included Nasir Siddiqui of Institute of Business Administration, Dr. Sarosh Lodhi of NED University, Prof. Tariq Rafi of Jinnah University, Dr. Aslam Uqaili of Mehran University.

In addition, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that Sindh cabinet also approved exemption of stamp duty on property gifted to Dawat-e-Hadiyah.

According to Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, the cabinet also approved the removal of four additional advocate generals and two assistant advocate generals from their posts.

Responding to a question regarding the replacement of Inspector General of Sindh Police, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the name of Mushtaq Mahar was among those names which were proposed by the Sindh government, adding that because the issue was over, no more discussion over it was needed. Responding to a question regarding Nabeel Gabol, Sindh Minister for Information said that no one was above the law and anyone who had violated the law would be prosecuted according to the law.

Responding to a question regarding the decision of the Sindh Cabinet about the extension of the Vice-Chancellors of Public Universities, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the extension had been given to those who had performed well over the years and that their services should be acknowledged. The provincial Minister for Information also requested the media not to spread the news about the Coronavirus which might create panic or fear among the people.