Dialogue with May 9 perpetrators possible: Sindh CM

KARACHI: Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori, and Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and his cabinet members visited the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on Wednesday to pay tribute to the founder of Pakistan on his 148th birth anniversary.

Governor Tessori laid a floral wreath at the mausoleum, offered Fateha for Jinnah’s soul, and prayed for the nation’s progress and prosperity. Recording his comments in the visitors’ book, he expressed his commitment to following Jinnah’s ideals, and congratulated the nation on his birth anniversary.

He stressed that adhering to Jinnah’s principles is the minister and the army chief, particularly the Special Investment Facilitation Council, for steering the country toward development.

Replying to a question about Parachinar, he said collaborative efforts would lead to resolving the ongoing issues in the troubled tribal area. “Together we’ll continue Quaid-e-Azam’s mission, and build a strong and prosperous Pakistan.”

CM Shah said on the occasion that democracy thrives on dialogue, pointing out that if we can engage in dialogue with an enemy country, we should also engage with those involved in the May 9 violence, since we see them as Pakistani citizens.

“It’s important to address those who have been misled, and help them change their perspectives,” he stressed. He also laid a floral wreath at the mausoleum, offered Dua for Jinnah’s soul and recorded his impressions in the visitors’ book.

At the outset of his media talk, he congratulated the nation on Jinnah’s birth anniversary. He also extended Christmas greetings to Christians. “This country was founded with the assurance of freedom for people of all religions to worship in their places of worship,” he said recalling Jinnah’s speech of August 11, 1947.

He highlighted the importance of protecting the country from external conspiracies, in line with Jinnah’s vision. “With Allah’s blessings we’ll make Pakistan a peaceful and prosperous nation for future generations,” he said, adding that the nation’s prosperity lies in unity.

He underscored the need to remember the martyrs’ sacrifices. “Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto made Pakistan a nuclear power, and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto strengthened the country’s defence through missile technology.”

He also honoured the sacrifices of the armed forces and the police while protecting the borders and combating terrorism. He asserted that democracy returned to the country at the cost of the martyrs’ blood, making it precious for Pakistan’s people.

He mentioned that under the leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari and PM Shehbaz Sharif, the country is moving out of economic, political and social problems, and that law and order conditions have also been improving.

He also condemned Israel’s brutality in Palestine, and called upon the Islamic world and all nations to work towards ending oppression in Palestine and Kashmir.

He warned that the impact of the Palestine war and the atrocities in Kashmir are affecting the entire region, making it imperative for the global community to take serious action to end the genocide and the atrocities for a peaceful world.

Responding to a query, he said Sindh has always been a land of peace, and will continue to be so. Regarding the issue of illegal immigration, he acknowledged unity between the federal and provincial governments to deport illegal residents.

When asked about the murder of Zahid Mirani by an illegal Afghan resident, he recalled that during the previous federal government, a general amnesty had been announced for Afghans, following which the provincial government identified their criminal records and deported them.

“The Sindh government believes that the murder of an innocent person is the murder of humanity, and we have never allowed any killer to go unpunished. Oppressors will face justice, and we share the sorrow of the victims.”

He dismissed the allegations of the government’s inaction, asserting that his administration has always upheld the rights of the people in the province. “Whenever peoples’ issues arise, it’s the Sindh government that advocates for the province’s interests at the forefront.”

He revealed that the federal government has allocated Rs180 billion for development schemes in Sindh this year, but criticised delays in the funds’ disbursement. He noted that last year’s allocation had dropped to only Rs5 billion or Rs6 billion. “I’ve officially complained about this to the federal government.”

He also expressed concern about the Centre not convening meetings of constitutional forums such as the Council of Common Interests. Discussing incomplete projects, he mentioned the Jamshoro-Sehwan Road, which was approved in 2017. Despite Sindh contributing half of the funding to the Centre in April 2017, the project remains unfinished.

He reiterated his demands for federal funding to complete other projects, including the Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway, lamenting that the Karachi-Hyderabad Road was built through a public-private partnership, while similar highway projects in other provinces received federal funding through CPEC initiatives. “This discrimination began during Imran Khan’s tenure.”

He said the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway could not be constructed under a public-private partnership due to time constraints, while the PM’s ministers insisted the project should proceed. Ultimately, he added, the project failed to materialise because they (the Centre) could not secure financial backing.

He urged the Centre to construct the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway using federal funds or Chinese funding, stressing that it is not only a provincial road but also vital for all commercial traffic from the seaport and industrial areas to the north. “Industrialists from Lahore urged me to construct the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway.”

He discussed Sindh’s limited resources, and its challenges in financing large-scale projects independently, yet noted that his government has still constructed some federal roads, such as the Karachi-Thatta dual carriageway, and provided 50 per cent of the funding for the Jamshoro-Sehwan Road.

On a lighter note, while responding to the governor, Shah asserted that Karachi belongs to him. “After requesting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, I secured federal support for Karachi’s water projects, including the Rs25 billion K-IV.”

He explained that the lining of the KB Feeder, essential for K-IV, is a Rs40 billion project, with equal contributions from both provincial and federal governments.