The governor of Sindh, Kamran Tessori, and Prime Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, along with the Cabinet members, visited the mausoleum of the founder of the nation, Quaid-E-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnaah, on the occasion of Pakistan’s Day.
They offered Fateha (prayers) and placed flowers in the tomb of the founder of Pakistan.
In statements to the media, the CM Murad Ali Shah reflected on the importance of March 23, 1940, when the All-Indian Muslim League adopted the resolution of Pakistan in Lahore, which laid the foundations for an independent homeland.
The CM also mentioned the tragic events of 1971 and how former Prime Minister Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto played a fundamental role in the reconstruction and union of Pakistan.
Commenting on recent terrorist incidents in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan, including the attack against Joffer Express and incidents in Noshki, Kalat and Bannu, Murad Ali Shah stressed the importance of national security. He criticized political elements that had previously neglected to attend the meetings of the National Security Committee and reiterated that terrorism must be approached collectively.
‘Channels are not being built’
For a question, Prime Minister Murad Shah categorically declared that channels are not being built. When addressing the public’s concerns, he emphasized that the president of the Popular Party of Pakistan (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, will personally visit several areas to reassure citizens that such channels will not be built.
He reiterated that the PPP will never allow the construction of these channels and that any wrong information on the matter will be clarified.
Murad Ali Shah also said that channels have never been planned for the construction in Sindh, and even the lands assigned for corporate agriculture will not receive water from any channel.
He urged the Federal Government to convene a CCI meeting to discuss all pending problems, including the water problem.
Expressing his concerns, the main minister also pointed out the delay in the construction of the Hyderabad-Sukkur highway.
“Despite multiple attempts to advance the project, it has not begun,” he said. He stressed that this highway is not only intended for Sindh, but for the whole country, since it will significantly improve trade.
Shah indicated that the funds for this highway have been assigned under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP), but this prioritization is unjustified. He recalled that when the problem was previously raised in the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), Sindh opposed, not to the construction of a road, but to the absence of equitable development, which is ordered by the Constitution.
The CM argued that Hyderab-Sukkur highway must be built first instead of focusing on linking other districts in other places. He also declared that although the government of Sindh should not be obliged to contribute, he is willing to do so to accelerate the project.
Emphasizing the provincial autonomy, the main minister made it clear that the government of Sindh will not allow any federal institution to undertake projects in the province without its consent, since such actions lead to the duplication of efforts.
He cited past cases, particularly during the mandate of Imran Khan, where parallel projects were initiated by federal and provincial governments, which resulted in inefficiencies.
Concluding his speech, the prime minister prayed for the continuous progress of Pakistan and urged all citizens to be prepared to defend the country.
