Day: September 30, 2022

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Murad, World agree to launch Rs110bn housing project for flood victims

ISLAMABAD: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah with the assistance of the World Bank has decided to launch a Rs110 billion housing project for the flood-affected people for which a special unit would be established under the chief secretary.

This emerged on Friday in a meeting between Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and World Bank Country Director Mr. Najy Benhassine who attended the meeting through video link from Islamabad.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Dr. Azra Pechuho, Manzoor Wassan, Nasir Shah Jam Khan Shoro, Zia Abbas Shah, Rasool Bux Chandio, Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P and D Hassan Naqvi, and concerned secretaries. The World Bank team who attended the meeting in person include Program Leader Abedalrazaq Khalif, Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist Elif Ayhan, Bilal Khalid, Kamran Akbar, Yunziyi Lag, and Farah Yamin.

The chief minister said that he has already deputed teams to clear water from the flooded towns and villages. “The dewatering process is in progress and hopefully within one and half months it would be evacuated,” he said and added that he would start construction of houses for the affected people once the water is disposed of.

Mr. Shah said that the winter season was over the head, therefore we have to make housing arrangements for the people. He urged the World Bank to finance the housing project. The chief minister and the World Bank Country Director after thorough discussions and deliberations decided to launch the project forRs110 billion for which a company would be established under the control of the chief secretary.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company with the support of the public and private sector would start the construction of the houses for which the survey is in progress.

Karachi: The chief minister took up another project with the World Bank saying that the floods have destroyed the road network and sunk the drainage system in Karachi. He added that he wanted to start a project of Rs13 billion to reconstruct the damaged roads of the city.

The World Bank committed Rs6 billion for the project and the chief minister said he would arrange the remaining amount of Rs7 billion from other sources.

Mr. Shah talking about the repair, and reconstruction of the sewerage lines said that the recent heavy rains have sunk them. He added that his government has worked out a Rs25 billion scheme to overhaul the sewerage system along with their widening and redesigning. The World Bank Country Director agreed that the project would be financed through the KWSSIP project.

Jam Sadiq Bridge: The CM also took the project of reconstruction of Jam Sadiq Bridge or a parallel bridge for which the World Bank and the Sindh govt team agreed to discuss the project in the next meeting scheduled to be held next week.

Agriculture: The chief minister discussing the plight of growers said that the floods have caused them irreparable loss. He added that his government has prepared a scheme of Rs30 billion to provide subsidies to growers in the heads of fertilizer and certified seed. “We have to revive our flooded agro-industry by giving them some incentives,” he said and added the growers were not in such a position to purchase certified seeds, fertilizers other inputs.

The World Bank agreed to provide $323 billion for the purpose so that the growers could reclaim their lands from the floods and start the upcoming Rabi crop.

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Bin Qasim Power Plant-3 Unit-I ready

KARACHI: The technical work of K-Electric’s Bin Qasim Power Plant-3 Unit-I has been completed and will start generating 450-megawatt electricity in the next two weeks.

According to a report on Friday, electricity will be added to the system which will reduce load shedding in the city of Karachi. Former president of Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) Danish Khan said there is hope for a reduction in load shedding in industries and residential areas

It is worth mentioning that K-Electric’s Bin Qasim Power Plant 3 Unit 1 was shut down due to technical failure some time ago. According to the spokesperson of K-Electric, the work of unit two is also going on rapidly and in the next two months, the process of producing electricity will also be started from it.

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Woman dead after man sets fire in-laws’ house in Rahim Yar Khan

Rahim Yar Khan: At least one woman was dead after a man set fire to his in-laws’ house in Rahim Yar Khan city of Punjab province on Friday.

According to details, the man set his in-laws’ house on fire while family members – his wife, mother-in-law and sister-in-law – were present inside. As a result, all three individuals suffered severe burns. Rescue personnel shifted the burn victims to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. One of the victims succumbed to her injuries on her way to the hospital. The condition of the other two victims is also said to be critical.

The police said the man set the house on fire after his wife demanded divorce. Meanwhile, the police have launched a search operation to arrest the suspect while further investigation is underway. Earlier in June, a woman reportedly set her husband on fire after spraying petrol on him over a domestic dispute in Punjab’s Muzaffargarh.

As per details, the shocking incident occurred in Muzaffargarh’s Ali Pur Tehsil, where a woman named Nasreen set her husband on fire over continued domestic issues. The police after registering a case into the ruthless incident arrested two women including Bilal’s wife.

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Acting VCs appointment challenged in SHC Karachi

LARKANA: The appointment of Professor Dr. Hakim Ali Abro as interim vice-chancellor in Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU) of Larkana has been challenged by senior professor Dr. Ali Akbar Bhand in the Sindh High Court here on Friday.

In this regard, Professor Dr. Ali Akbar Bhand, through his lawyer, filed a petition in the Sindh High Court, Karachi, and has taken the position that the Sindh government has issued a notification appointing Professor Hakim Ali Abro as the acting vice chancellor of the SMBBMU which is not only the massacre of merit but is against the legal requirements and it violates the rights of Professor Ali Akbar Bhand.

Such a petition was heard by Sindh High Court Karachi’s Double Bench Justice Muhammad Junaid Ghaffar and Justice Agha Faisal, while the court remarks that on what basis the notification of the fourth number has been issued leaving the first number in the seniority. After the hearing, the court issued notices to the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and Secretary Universities and Board of Sindh and summoned the parties on October 5.

When contacted, Professor Ali Akbar Bhand told reporters that the notification of Professor Hakim Ali Abaro is contrary to the legal requirements and is a murder of merit which is completely a violation of his right because he is number one in the merit list and the summary sent to the Chief Minister but despite that fourth number has been appointed acting VC which is robbery on his right, and added for this I hope for justice from the court and we will definitely get justice.

Meanwhile, Prof Hakim Abro, had an introductory meeting at main Areeja Campus which was attended by principals of all the institutions, stakeholders and doctors of the SMBBMU. He said his first effort would be to make all the institutions working under the umbrella of SMBBMU to make them independent. He said accountability, transparency and merit will also be his priority.

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Robbers gunned down a laborer in Larkana

LARKANA: Unknown armed robbers gunned down a young labourer, 22-year Abdul Manan son of Abdullah Shaikh from Nandi Resham Gali late last night within the limits of Ali Gohar Abad police station when he resisted the criminals robbing attempt who instantly fired him in the neck and escaped.

Heirs, relatives and friends of the deceased rushed him to the Chandka Medical College Hospital where doctors confirmed his death. They took his body and staged a large sit-in in front of the SSP office chanting slogans against police failure to curb crimes and eliminate criminals as lawlessness has reached its height in the district despite a large number of half-frys called encounters.

The SSP Asif Nawaz Baloch came out and assured the protesters that the criminals will soon be nabbed and taken to task for which he needs a time, he added. His Janaza Namaz was offered today and was laid to rest at Abu Bakar graveyard which was largely participated by Shaikh community members.

PPP Larkana’s vice president Ali Nawaz Shaikh said that incidents of robberies, thefts, and other heinous crimes are constantly rising in the district and SSP has so far failed to curb such crimes. He said citizens are feeling unsafe which is very terrific. He said an honest and hardworking SSP may be posted who should maintain law and order otherwise residents will not be safe even in their homes. He demanded immediate arrest of the accused and maintenance of peace and tranquility in the district.

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Pakistani rupee continued to recover for the sixth consecutive session

KARACHI: Pakistani rupee continued to recover for the sixth consecutive session, gaining Rs1.18 against the US dollar in the interbank market on Friday.

According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the local currency closed at Rs228.85 after appreciating 0.52 percent from yesterday’s close of Rs229.63.

Meanwhile, the greenback was being traded at Rs227 to Rs229 in the open market, the Forex Association of Pakistan (FAP) added. The rupee has been recovering for the sixth consecutive session after falling close to an all-time low of Rs239.94 on Sept 22.

A day earlier, the Pakistani rupee continued its upward trend, gaining Rs2.45 against US dollar in the interbank market. According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the local currency closed at Rs229.95 per dollar after appreciating 1.08 percent.

On Wednesday, newly sworn-in Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had said strengthening of rupee value would be his top priority and no one would be allowed to do manipulation in the exchange rate.

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Rangers security in Chandka Hospital casualty

LARKANA: The Section Officer (General), Health Department, Farooq Ahmed Abro, has written a letter to the Home Secretary, requesting for deployment of FC Core/Rangers at Casualty of Chandka Medical College Hospital, Larkana, it emerged Friday.

The letter has been sent after the request of CMCH Medical Superintendent through a letter dated 26th September, regarding hiring of services of F.C. Sindh on standard terms and conditions for an initial period of three years for the security of the hospital and in the interest of the public and the institution.

CMCH MS sent the letter on the demand of Young Doctors Association after the incident of hooliganism by a mob on 24th September which ransacked the government property and injured a doctor while on duty after the death of a snakebite patient. Copies of the letter have also been sent to the commander, F.C., Director General, Health Services, Sindh, Hyderabad and others.