Daily Times

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government has done nothing significant during their 13 years of rule in Sindh, specifically in Naumdro-hometown of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.

This was revealed in a survey carried out by this scribe in which the residents of Naundero criticised the government for its incompetence and failure to deliver on its promises.

Hussain Bux Narejo, former MRD convenor, said that Naundero has been constantly ignored by the rulers. He said that overflowing outdated open sewerage drains have polluted the environment, while many streets remain inundated for days as the municipal committee lacks required sanitary workers and essential garbage lifting equipment to remove heaps of garbage from the entire town daily.

Narejo said all streets which were built during the Shaheed Bhutto era need urgent repairs. He said rulers had made tall claims that they will make Naundero a model town, but these claims proved hollow and merely political slogans. Narejo said this town needs ownership, and since Shaheed Benazir’s untimely martyrdom, nobody has yet owned this town of ever growing population, which has crossed one lac. He also added that Naundero has now become a hub of social evils, as drug and gambling dens have become a common sight, which are now openly running in the town.

Meanwhile, a well-known poet and writer Manzoor Mangi said that the present government converted huge Saidu Minor (irrigation drain) into a big sewerage drain which has resulted in contamination of subsoil water on one hand, and on the other it has rendered vast fertile agricultural lands arid. He said there is no fish, meat, mutton or vegetable market in the town which should have been built much before, due to which vendors are selling fish on push carts everywhere causing pollution and uncleanliness across the town.

Highlighting the plight of the town, Man gi said Rest House was built for the VVIPs, English Medium Model School was built by cutting space of the Stadium, owing to which the youth of Naundero has been deprived of extracurricular activities. He said the town lacks an amusement park for the children and families, while schools and colleges lack proper facilities and manpower which has resulted in low quality of education.

Syed Sikandar Ali Shah Rashdi said that the ATM of the National Bank has been out of order for over one and a half year but it has not yet been replaced, which shows the level of discrimination this town is facing from the institutions controlled by federal government.

Sada Hussain Khakhrani and Ghulam Ali Solangi said that Naundero were of the opinion that Naundero lacks connectivity, and pressed for an immediate need of a bridge to be constructed over Indus River which will benefit hundreds of villages located in the riverine areas, besides elimination of bandits and criminals hiding in the jungles. They said the bridge constructed earlier on political grounds is less beneficial for the general public whereas the bridge of Indus River will be of tremendous benefit to both areas of Khairpur and Larkana which will also be instrumental in wiping out crimes as well.

Former District Health Officer, Dr. Khalilullah Shaikh said that the Rural Health Centre of the town requires up gradation with provision of state of the art medical treatment and emergency facilities, so that poor ailing people could benefit from free treatment facilities. However, Former municipal committee chairman and Bhutto estate manager Allah Dino Bhutto could not be reached, since this scribe aimed to take his version on the matter as he remained head of the civic body in Naundero for the last four years.

Noted writer and scholar Imam Rashdi said that historical Pir Jo Goth village, which comes within the limits of Naundero municipality, and Naundero town constantly remained neglected during the current rulers, which is really astonishing despite their so tall claims. He however hoped new PPP leadership would take care of all the areas, citizens and their voters.

The participants of the survey demanded PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to ensure proper development of his own hometown, and to take ownership of his home constituency, so that residents could take a sigh of relief, before it’s too late.