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Karachi, August 05, 2019 (PPI-OT):Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Information and Archives, Law and Anti-Corruption Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Saturday told that Sindh Chief Minister and cabinet members strongly condemned the brutality and the use of cluster bombs by the Indian government in Kashmir. He said that the cabinet appealed to the United Nations and Human Rights Organizations around the world to take notice of the use of brutal violence by the Indian Government in Kashmir. The cabinet asked the federal government to summon Indian High Commissioner to express their resentment over the incident. He said that in future the Ombudsman Sindh would be appointed by the Sindh Chief Minister.
Barrister Murtaza said that the Sindh cabinet in its meeting approved amendment in in this regard. Previously it was the prerogative of Governor Sindh, he added. The Adviser said that in Punjab as well as in KPK the Chief Minister had the authority to appoint the Ombudsman. The Adviser said this while briefing the media at the conclusion of the cabinet meeting on Saturday. Minister for Local Government Saeed Ghani also accompanied the Adviser during the briefing. He told that the Sindh cabinet had also accepted the resignation of prosecutor general Sindh. Advocate Dr. Fayaz Shah would be the new prosecutor general of Sindh.
The Adviser said that the cabinet after the approval of Sindh Chief Minister had abolished three per cent sales tax on print media. The Chief Minister also directed the Sindh Revenue Board to immediately issue notification in this regard, he told. He said that Sindh government was very well aware of the issued being faced by the print media and it would do its utmost to resolve all that. The Adviser told that the Sindh cabinet strongly disapproved the performance of K-Electric during recent rains in Karachi. Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that Sindh government decided in its cabinet meeting that biometric verification of all the pensioners would be done in order to abolish the ghost pensioners.
Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that so as to ensure the transparency Sindh Financial Rules had been amended. He said that Sindh cabinet had decided that to grant three billion rupees to Sindh Bank. Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that Sindh Bank needed the funds as all the accounts of its account holders had been frozen. The Adviser said that the cabinet had also decided to change the Board of Governor of Sindh Bank. He said that Sindh government was determined to fix the predicaments the Bank was facing.
He said that the cabinet also decided to merge Sindh Bank and Sindh Leasing Company. Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that the Sindh Cabinet discussed at length the MoUs singed between the federal government and the provincial government a propos the financial matters. The Adviser said that a surplus budget was only possible if the federal government transferred all the assured funds to the provincial government on time. He said that the Federal government should pay the long due funds to the provincial government immediately. The federal government had to pay further 80 billion to the provincial government, he added. Barrister Murtaza Wahab told that the World Bank was disbursing a grant of ten billion rupees.
The Adviser said that the cabinet had also decided to introduce e-procurement processing. He said that gradually the manual system being practiced in the Finance Department would be chucked out. All the pensioners of Sindh government were online now, he added. Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that the cabinet also decided to make transparent the utilization of the development budget. While it also decided to further expand the excavation of Thar Coal Project Phase-II being carried out by Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company, he said. The Adviser said that Thar Power subsidy would be awarded by the provincial government.
He said that Sindh cabinet also approved the provision of free electricity to 2,700 families of Islamkot, who were utilizing 100 units per month, while 1800 other families would only have to pay for the units they consumed above 100 from the month of August, 2019. He said that the promise PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari made with the people of Islamkot on 10th of April this year had been fulfilled today. Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that Thar Coal Energy was a dream of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. The Adviser said that the cabinet also decided to conduct a thorough survey of the taluka Islamkot in order to make available the electricity to the areas which were still without essential utility. He told that Sindh Chief Minister had constituted a committee to assess the renewal of lease of the old buildings situated in old city area.
Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that the Chief Minister also formed a committee comprising Local Government Minister and Law Adviser which will assess to transfer the complete power to the relevant officers of the Malir Development Authority so as to get rid of the encroachments. He said that the authorities to these officers of Malir Development Authority would be sanctioned in accordance with Sindh Public Property Removal of Encroachment Act 2010. He also told that the cabinet discussed in detail the School Education Road Map. The Adviser said that Sindh Minister Education Sardar Shah told the cabinet that to improve the quality of education in the province the focus of the Education Department was on the teachers’ training program.
While the curriculum was also being reviewed, he said. Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that the cabinet also approved the decision to establish at least two model schools in every district of the province. While the profiling of the schools in Karachi and Hyderabad would also be done, the Adviser told. He said that the cabinet also decided to merge all those schools which comprised of a single or two rooms. The examination would be conducted in open grounds which would be monitored through CCTV cameras. While the checking of the examination sheets would also be monitored by CCTV cameras. He said that the cabinet also expressed its strong reservation over the interference by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council in the affairs of the provincial government.
The Adviser clarified that after the passage of 18th amendment the affairs of Health and Education only belonged to the provincial government. He said that Sindh government would not hesitate to go to court of law against the PMDC if it didn’t take back its illegitimate decisions. Barrister Murtaza Wahab also told that the cabinet expressed its severe reservation over the proposal given in a constitutional amendment presented by Kishwar Zehra and other four MNAs a propos the deletion of article 239-4 and establishment of new provinces in the country. The cabinet rejected the proposal outrightly, he said.
The Adviser said that the cabinet in one of its decision extended the deadline for the computerization of Arms Licences to 31st December 2019, after that all the non-computerized arms would be seized. He said that in order to ensure access to justice and following the complaints of the people against Police and the Prosecutor an steering committee had been formed by the cabinet. The cabinet also approved the terms and conditions of Chief Information Commissioner and Two Information Commissioners, he told. Barrister Murtaza Wahab told the journalists that the cabinet also approved to withdraw the powers of Inspector of Fisheries from Pakistan Maritime Agency.
The Adviser while briefing the media said that Sindh cabinet in its decision had decided to cancel the registration of 4693 NGOs/NPOs. He said that these NGOs were not following the rules and regulations set by the Sindh government. Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that the cabinet also approved the amendments in Sindh Mining Concession Rules 2002. According to the amendments from now onwards Director General Mines and Minerals would be the Licensing Authority, while the Secretary Mines and Minerals would the Appellate Authority. The Adviser told that the cabinet also approved the Amendment in Local Sindh Local Government Law according to which a plot in Surjani Town would be allocated for Green Line Bus Project of Bus Rapid Transport System.
He said that this was another promise being fulfilled by the Sindh government regarding Mass Transit Bus Project of Karachi. Amendments in Sindh Motor Vehicle Rules 1969 also came under discussion during the cabinet meeting, the Adviser told. He said that an MVR smart card worth rupees 750 with various security features embedded in would be issued. The cabinet also approved to install CCTV cameras on 253 sites that included all the religious seminaries of the minorities, Barrister Murtaza Wahab told.
He said that according to the decision of the cabinet SEPRA rules would be relaxed so as to award the contract of installing these CCTV cameras to National Radio Telecommunication Corporation. The Adviser told that the cabinet also discussed at length the Rule of Law Roadmap and it was decided that the Hoe Department would take into consideration the suggestions of the roadmap. Barrister Murtaza Wahab told the journalists that the Chief Minister expressed his annoyance over an unearthed scandal of Sindh Police.
According to the Adviser the Sindh Police allegedly purchased a pistol in 85,000 rupees while its actual worth was 45,000 rupees. Responding to a question Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that if the federal government was indeed serious towards addressing the grievances of the Karachiites then it should focus on the much needed K-IV water project. The Adviser told the journalists that much before Ali Zaidi’s initiative the Sindh Chief Minister had already directed relevant Commissioners and the Deputy Commissioners to address the plight of the people.
Entry through parachute would not work instead of that the federal government should join hands with the Sindh government in providing relief to the people, he added. He said that even the development works in the constituency of Ali Zaidi were being carried out by the Sindh government. The Adviser told the journalists that the underpass being built at Shaheed-i-Millat road would be inaugurated by Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
For more information, contact:
Information and Archives Department
Directorate of Press Information
Government of Sindh
95-Sindh Secretariat 4-B, Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-99204423, +92-21-99204401
Email: pressinformationzubair@gmail.com
Website: http://sindhinformation.gos.pk