Daily Times

Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Sunday said that 12.5 million had become homeless in Sindh, adding that the agriculture and livestock sectors suffered a loss of billions of rupees,

He was talking to the media after reciting Fateha and laying a floral wreath at the grave of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on his 74th death anniversary. Acting Sindh Governor Agha Siraj Durrani was also present on the occasion.

“It may take more than three months for the rainwater to drain,” he said and added that efforts were being made to ensure the cultivation of wheat crop till November or December.

“At many places in Sindh, there has accumulated 8 to 10 feet of water,” he told the media. “We pay homage to Quaid-e-Azam. We also pray for the freedom of Kashmiris,” Murad Ali Shah said.

CM pays tributes to father of nation: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, on the occasion of the 74th death anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, payed rich tributes and said that it was his sagacious leadership helped out for a separate homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent. “It is our utmost responsibility to make this country a cradle of peace, a seat of learning, and a strong nation.”

After laying a wreath, offering fateha and recording his impressions in the visitors’ book opened at Mazar-e-Quaid to observe the 74th death anniversary of the father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. He was accompanied by his cabinet members, Saeed Ghani, Shahla Raza, Advisor Rasool Bux Chandio, and others.

Shah said that he and acting Governor Sindh along with provincial cabinet members have visited Mazar to pay tribute to the father of the Nation. “We have won this country with his struggle; therefore, it becomes our responsibility to save, protect and prosper this nation,” he said.

The CM, replying to a question about floods, said that the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres after visiting the flood-affected areas said he had never seen such a catastrophe. “More than 1.5 million people have been displaced, of them over 600,000 shifted to camps,” he said and added he requested the UN Secretary-General for the assistance of tents and medicines. Murad Shah said that he has released the budget allocated for the purchase of medicines so that flood-affected people facing different ailments could be treated properly.

To a question, the CM said that standing crops worthRs50 billion have been washed away. “I have discussed with the UN Secretary-General that we would have to offer an agricultural package, otherwise the grower would not be able to sow Rabi crops,” he said and added he was trying to dewater agricultural lands so that Rabi crops could be planted by the first week of December.

According to Shah his government is trying to prepare at least 75 percent of agricultural lands for the wheat crop. “We have lost our standing paddy and cotton crops in this Kharif and would not be able to afford to lose Rabi crops,” he said.

The chief minister, to another question, deplored that some indecent and inhuman statements were issued to the flood-affected people who have come to Karachi. “Karachi is part of the province, and we are making arrangements to shift them to the camps and will look after them,” he said and added they were in pain, and their dispossessions [in the flood] demand that each and every one of us, according to our status and position, should help them to rehabilitate.

Shah agreed with a question that K-Electric, Hesco, and Sepco have failed to deliver. “I am sorry to say that our power distribution companies, particularly the Hesco and Sepco had no contingency plan to continue power supply at least to the pumping stations involved in pumping out rainwater from the towns and cities.

To a question, the chief minister said that the UN Secretary-General has personally witnessed the rain-induced floods devastation in Pakistan, particularly in Sindh and Baluchistan and the UN Session is due in which a climate-induced humanitarian crisis of epic proportions in Pakistan would be discussed. “I am sure the international community would help us to face the situation and rehabilitate the affected people,” he concluded.