KARACHI:Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Monday that the growth shown in the national economy by the federal government was an eyewash and if the economy had shown the growth, the federal government would have not revised its allocations.
“We are facing a shortfall of Rs82 billion in federal transfers, therefore, our entire budgetary commitments have been affected badly,” he said while addressing a crowded press conference here at CM House. He was flanked by provincial ministers, Ismail Rahu, Imtiaz Shaikh and Nasir Shah. Shah said that the majority of taxes were collected by the federal government and then they transfer the share to the provincial governments as per agreed formula.
The federal government claimed that the national economy had shown growth, he said and added that if the economy had shown the growth, the FBR targets would have not been revised. “The FBR had a target of Rs4.89 trillion collection, but they failed and then the government revised the target to Rs4.71 trillion,” he said.
The CM said that the FBR had shown a growth of 17 percent during the last three years, but the Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) had shown a growth of 21 percent. “Our growth rate is four percent higher than the FBR,” he said and added he was criticizing the performance of the FBR because their failure to achieve the targets affected the provincial share in the revenue.
Shah said that the Sindh government was told that it would be given Rs742 billion from divisible pool and straight transfers and we had framed our budget accordingly. At the end of day, the federal government revised Sindh government share from Rs742 billion to Rs680 billion that caused a Rs62 billion shortfall just in revision. He added that during the last 11 months, the Sindh government has received 82.5 billion short of its share.
The chief minister said that 11 years have passed since the last NFC award and the federal government has failed to work out a new award. “The government has appointed a new federal finance ministers [Shaukat Tareen] who was the architect of the last NFC award,” he said and added it was surprising that the [federal] finance minister who had worked out the last NFC award was acceptable to the PTI government but his award was not acceptable to them.
He said that the PTI government has always been criticizing the NFC award. “The problem is not with the award but it is with the revenue recoveries in which FBR has been failing under the present government, therefore along with the provinces, the federal government is facing financial problems,” he said.
PSDP: Talking about the federal PSDP, the chief minister said that Sindh was given those projects which were not required. “In 2020-21 PSDP the federal government had allocated Rs9.7 billion for different schemes in Sindh but they could utilize only Rs500 million,” he said and added that the provincial government was not consulted when its projects were included in PSDP.
He said that the development projects were always conceived on the ground, but the federal government was giving projects directly and executing them through Pak PWD. “These direct projects would not be in duplication but would cause corruption,” he said.
Shah said that the federal government was alleging that the provincial government had no capacity to implement development projects, therefore they [fed govt] were directly implementing the project. “I want to remind you the detractors that the Sindh government has constructed highways such as Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas Road, Karachi-Thatta and various others on PPP mode and has also constructed bridges on River Indus.
CENSUS: Talking about the census, the chief minister said that he had submitted a defection note in CCI when it was approved. “I have referred the matter to the parliament and a joint session would be called to discuss the matter,” he said.
He said that the family size of households in Sindh has been shown less than the other provinces. Had the actual family size of households in Sindh been counted the population of the province would have been more than 62 million. “Since, our population has been curtailed under the defective census, therefore our share in the national resources has also come down,” he said.
Water: Murad Ali Shah said that he was not accusing any province of stealing water but his grievance was against the federal government which did not allow the IRSA to implement the 1991 water accord in true letter and spirit.
He said that the water shortage in respect of 1991 accord in the Punjab during the month of May 2021, on the basis of 10 dailies, was recorded at 20.27 percent in the first 10-daily, 5.08 percent in the second 10 daily, 10.23 percent in the third 10-daily. In Sindh during the first daily water shortage was recorded at 34.5 percent, 39.8 percent during the second 10-daily and 40.27 percent during the third 10-dailies.
Shah said that during June 1 to 10, Sindh and Balochistan faced a 35 percent shortage and Punjab faced 23 percent shortage while KPK received 38% more water than its share. “We are of the view that the shortages should be shared equally as per water accord,” he said and added.
The Attorney General of Pakistan in his report on 1991 accord had endorsed the point of view of the Sindh government. “I am surprised in this entire scenario IRSA is silent but the federal government through its inspectors was trying to inspect our water. “Our grievance is very simple that the distribution of water is being made in violation of the 1991 accord,” he said and added the issue was legal and technical, but the federal government was trying to make it a political issue.
Steel Mill: The chief minister criticizing the federal government said that instead of reviving the steel mill it was closing it. “You are laying off all those employees who were appointed by the PPP government,” he said.
Gas shortage: Murad Ali Shah said that Sindh was facing gas shortage which was also a violation of Article 158 of the constitution. “The constitution under article 158 gives priority to the people of the area from where gas is produced but this is not happening here,” he said and added whenever he has talked about the issues of the province he is accused of playing Sindh card. He said that being chief executive of the province it was his duty to protect the rights of the people of the province.
Shah said Hydel profits were given to the KPK and he had always been supporting it because it was constitutional but “when we talk about our rights, we are accused of promoting provincialism,” he was surprised and termed it double standard and said that Sindh has been slaughtered economically.
Sindh police: Giving an oblique reference of Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry’s press conference in which he had strongly criticized the Sindh police, the chief minister said he had no right to make mockery of the policemen who sacrificed their lives in the line of their duty and restored law and order in the city.
He said that during the last three years 81 policemen, including 45 in Karachi, 36 in Sukkur and Hyderabad regions have laid their lives in line with their duty. “It is the Sindh police which have fought against outlaws, terrorists, dacoits, land mafia and drug mafia and restored law and order in the province, particularly in the city,” he said and added Karachi was 7th most dangerous city in the crime index of the world and now it has come down to 198th.
“This the performance of the Sindh police and you [Fawad Ch] are trying to demoralize the police,” he said and added “you [Fawad Ch] had hurt the families of police ‘shuhada’ by denying their sacrifice. The police in collaboration with rangers and other agencies have shown a commendable performance which must be lauded, he said.
Q and A: Replying to a question about Karachi declared as least livable city, Shah said that the resources of the provincial government were meager. “We have to invest in water, solid waste, road sector, drainage, and other sectors hugely,” he said and added for the purpose the federal government and international donors agencies would have to support the Sindh government.
Murad Ali Shah said that Public investments on development projects in the city have been scaled-up since the last 5 years (2015 to 2020) focusing on infrastructure and human development. “Overall security and investment environment has been improved significantly,” he said and added the Sindh government has initiated various development programs and projects for Karachi, which were at various stages of implementation.
Some of the important projects he recalled include $98 million Karachi Neighborhood Improvement for enhancing public spaces in targeted neighborhoods; improve urban roads infrastructure and improve Ease of Doing Business. Shah said that the Project was under execution.
He said Competitive and Livability City of Karachi (CLICK) was a $ 240 million fund for institutional strengthening and infrastructure financing of Local Councils in the city. Under the project overhaul of Urban Immovable Property Tax and also supporting Ease of Doing Business was underway.
Shah said that the $105 million Karachi Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Project (KWSSIP) has been launched to focus on long-term strengthening of the KWSB through multiple reforms. The Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) Yellow Line; US$ 438 million project is another mega transport intervention for the city. The Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) RED Line; project has been approved for $561 million and would soon be put into execution as one of the main transport corridors in the city.
In the next financial year about $438 million would be budgeted for various development projects for Karachi in Annual Development Program 2021-22 in order to provide a robust living standard for people of Karachi City.
Bahria: Replying to a question about ransacking and setting some of the properties on fire, the chief minister said that 28 FIRs had been registered, of them two by government officials for damaging government property, one by Bahria, one by FWO and 24 by private persons. He disclosed that on spot 120 persons were arrested from the spot and 36 others when identified through footage. He added that six persons have been released and some others have taken bail.
Shah said that this province has seen a very critical phase in the 80s, 90s and 2000s and now we would not allow anybody to take law in his hands. “We would not allow the right of peaceful protest to convert into violence,” he said and added when such a situation would emerge the law would take its course. “If you come onto the road and raise slogans against Pakistan then what difference would there be between us and Altaf Hussain,” he questioned.
Operation in katcha areas: Replying to a last question about a cleanup operation against bandist in the Katcha area, Shah said that the supply line of the dacoits have been cut off. “The katcha area where dacoits have established their hideout is connected with Shikarpur, Sukkur, Larkana, Ghotki, Khairpur and with Punjab and Balochistan,” he said and added with the support of other province the police with the support of Rangers and other law enforcement agencies would launch a comprehensive and vigorous operation to eliminate the dacoits.