Tag: CM Sindh

  • Zardari might be our next president; Bilawal wants Murad as CM Sindh

    Zardari might be our next president; Bilawal wants Murad as CM Sindh

    In a recent development reported by Geo News, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the chief of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), has expressed his preference for Murad Ali Shah to serve as the Chief Minister of Sindh for the third consecutive term.

    Sources revealed that alongside Shah, other names under consideration for the Sindh CM post include Faryal Talpur, Nasir Hussain Shah, and Sharjeel Memon.

    It’s noted that some leaders within the PPP advocate for Faryal Talpur to potentially become Sindh’s first woman chief minister, adding an intriguing dynamic to the selection process.

    Furthermore, amidst political alliances forming in the country, a six-party coalition consisting of PML-N, PPP, MQMP, PML-Q, IPP, and BAP has been announced.

    This alliance, reminiscent of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), aims to form the next government at the federal level.

    Notably, Asif Ali Zardari, the former president, is expected to lead the country for the second time, pending the coalition’s success.

    Bilawal Bhutto Zardari affirmed PPP’s support for PML-N in electing its prime minister, though without direct involvement in the federal government.

    However, discussions surrounding key constitutional posts, including the National Assembly speaker, Senate chairman, and president, have ensued. Bilawal expressed his desire for Asif Ali Zardari to assume the presidency, citing the need for experienced leadership in addressing the country’s challenges.

    In addition to the presidency, PPP is reportedly eyeing the post of Balochistan chief minister, with Sarfraz Bugti briefing the party on the province’s political landscape.

    Sources suggest that PML-N leadership has agreed to support Zardari for the presidency in exchange for PPP’s backing of Shehbaz Sharif for the prime minister’s post, potentially shaping the future political landscape with a PML-N prime minister and a PPP president.

    Meanwhile, PML-N senior leader Rana Sanaullah said PPP did not not demand the top constitutional post of president.
    In a statement, Sanaullah said that Shehbaz had experience of working with allies, while Asif Ali Zardari has the political acumen to take prudent decisions.

    He said that neither the PPP demanded the position of the president nor did they make any commitment. “We hope that [JUI-F chief] Fazlur Rehman will become part of the government,” he added.

  • ‘Six months’: Murad Ali Shah gives estimate on when flood waters will drain

    Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah said that the government is working on rehabilitating people and the province’s drainage, irrigation network. According to him, it will take “three to six months” to drain the water from flood-affected areas of the province as in “some areas, there is at least eight to 10 feet of water”.

    While speaking to the media in Karachi, the chief minister talked about the damages and loss of assets. He said that “12.5 million people are affected by the disaster and around 350 billion rupees’ losses to the farmers are being reported in the province.”

    He revealed that even in places where the floodwater is receding, “the situation is not such that people can return”, highlighting that Pakistan had received unprecedented rainfall this year.

    It is pertinent to mention that Sindh is the worst-hit province so far after biblical floods wreaked havoc across the country. Sindh had the most deaths and injuries. Out of the 1,396 fatalities countrywide, 578 people have died in Sindh province alone.

    Moreover, CM Shah said that the province is facing a shortage of tents and medicines and he had raised the issue with the United Nations (UN) chief Antonio Guterres during his recent visit to Sindh.

    “The whole world has to come together to combat climate change,” he said, adding that Guterres had also called on the world to “pitch in” to help Pakistan navigate the crisis.

    Earlier, the UN chief on his visit to Pakistan’s flood-affected areas said that he has “never seen climate carnage on this scale”.

    At a press conference in Karachi on Saturday after witnessing the worst of the damage in southern Pakistan, he said, “I have seen many humanitarian disasters in the world, but I have never seen climate carnage on this scale.”

    Guterres also strongly urged international creditors to introduce a new mechanism ‘Debt Swap’ for flood-devastated Pakistan.

  • What did the new first lady do during PM’s Karachi visit?

    The newly-appointed Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif went to Karachi on a daylong visit on Wednesday where he paid a visit to the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad and met Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah. 

    The First Lady of Pakistan Tehmina Durrani also accompanied the PM on his maiden visit. Durrani shared a picture of herself at Abdul Sattar Edhi’s grave in Karachi.

    In a tweet, she said, “While PM Shehbaz Sharif paid his respects at Founder of the Nation’s Mazar, I went with Saba and Saad Edhi to salute Abdul Sattar Edhi for his relentless lifelong efforts two actualize The Quaid dream for Pakistan: A Social Welfare State. The directions are on his gravestone.”

    She then visited Abdul Sattar Edhi’s wife Bilquise Edhi who is currently hospitalised. She shared a picture with a caption: “Today Bilquise and I wept a river in her hospital room. She cried for Edhi sb and I cried for her. She is so unwell! And when she called me the first lady I squirmed. Indeed no first lady can match up to the greatness of Edhi’s Bilquise.”

    Durrani is a philanthropist, human rights activist, artist and celebrated author of four books. She married Shehbaz Sharif in 2003.

  • CM Sindh orders arrest of policemen involved in escape of accused in Dua Mangi kidnapping

    CM Sindh orders arrest of policemen involved in escape of accused in Dua Mangi kidnapping

    Chief Minister (CM) Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah has ordered the arrest of policemen involved in the escape of a convicted criminal who was also accused of kidnapping Dua Mangi.

    The accused, Zohaib Ali, fled from police custody. After learning about the incident, CM Shah has directed the inspector-general (IG) of police to arrest the accused.

    The chief minister was told that Zohaib, along with four others accused, was brought before the court of Judicial Magistrate VII East on January 27, 2022. The accused had received the next date of hearing and was escorted back to the jail by the head constable, Naveed, and constable Zafar Habib, reports Geo News.

    The report said that in involvement with Naveed, the accused used a private car to buy shoes from Tariq road and escaped from there due to the negligence of the head constable.

    It may be noted that accused Zohaib is convicted in Dua Mangi case and has been sentenced to rigorous imprisonment of three years with a fine of Rs20,000.

    Dua Mangi was kidnapped on November 30, 2019. The Karachi-based teenager, who was kidnapped from outside a restaurant in Karachi’s DHA was kidnapped for ransom. She has returned home a week later.

  • ‘Regrettable’: CM Sindh expresses sorrow at the mishandled MQM-P protest

    ‘Regrettable’: CM Sindh expresses sorrow at the mishandled MQM-P protest

    Chief Minister (CM) Sindh Murad Ali Shah expressed sorrow on how the provincial government handled Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan‘s (MQM-P) workers and leaders’ protest against the controversial Sindh local government bill in Karachi.

    Taking to Twitter, CM Shah said, “Yesterday’s incident outside CM House is regrettable and as a political party, we believe it’s everyone’s right to protest peacefully.”

    Expressing his sorrow over the incident, Shah said that he talked to MQM-P’s MNA Amin Ul Haq and MPA Sadaqat Ali. During their conversation, they discussed and agreed that they needed to find a peaceful solution through dialogue.

    “Explained that we were always willing to hold a meaningful dialogue. Expressed sorrow over [the] death of their colleague and ensured thorough inquiry into the matter,” tweeted Shah.

    Shah further said, “Have instructed the Home Secretary to submit a report regarding yesterday’s events within 3 days. There was an agreement between Police and protesters to use a certain route which was violated, and this is also being investigated.”

    MQM-P protesters attempted to reach the CM House for a sit-in on Wednesday.

    The police, however, baton-charged the crowd and used teargas shells in an attempt to dissuade it from entering the red zone.

    A worker of the MQM-P was killed and several others, including women, were injured when police fired tear gas and resorted to baton-charge on their sit-in outside CM House.

  • Positivity rate in Karachi reaches 28%, CM Sindh to impose lockdown on NCOC’s directives

    Positivity rate in Karachi reaches 28%, CM Sindh to impose lockdown on NCOC’s directives

    Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah stated on Friday that the decision to impose a lockdown and closure of educational institutions will be made in accordance with the recommendations of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). The Covid positivity rate in Karachi has reached to 28.80%.

    “The health department is monitoring the cases regularly. The fifth wave is rapidly spreading, not just in Karachi, but across the country,” he said while talking to media.

    “Whatever strategy we adopt, it will be in consultation with NCOC.” he added

    As per NCOC, Pakistan recorded 3567 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours with seven people losing their lives to the deadly virus.