Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Sindh Ameer Kashif Saeed Sheikh has blamed the incompetence and negligence of the provincial government for the dangerous rise in dengue cases across the region, accusing it of embezzling funds allocated for mosquito control.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the new office of Al-Khidmat Foundation on Monday, Kashif Saeed Sheikh expressed deep concern over the public health crisis and demanded immediate and effective measures. He pointed out that 698 dengue cases have been officially reported this year, while a significant increase of more than 50 percent has been recorded in Islamkot, Tharparkar, after the recent rains.
Sheikh lamented the inequality in health facilities, saying that while some facilities exist in Karachi and other major cities, remote areas are suffering from a severe lack of resources. He stressed that diseases like dengue are spreading due to the failures of the Sindh administration, pointing to garbage-filled cities resulting from a lack of sanitation and alleged fake recruitments.
“Mosquitoes are rampant throughout Sindh,” Sheikh said, adding that there is a common perception that the budgets of local bodies and hospitals go into the “pockets of corrupt and influential individuals” instead of being spent on public welfare. He demanded an immediate mosquito-killing spray campaign across the province and the improvement of medical treatment in hospitals.
The Jamaat-e-Islami leader also spoke on the broader political situation in the country, describing the growing turmoil as “a disaster for the country and the nation.” He said that the tense environment in KP and Punjab is not beneficial for democratic forces and urged the political leadership to show seriousness to resolve the current deadlock.
Sheikh stressed that the Sindh government must fulfill its duty to end lawlessness and poverty while providing basic facilities to its people. The event was also attended by Al-Khidmat Foundation Sukkur Region Director Dr. Ahmed Mujtaba Memon, Director Health Nasrullah Sheikh, and Jamaat-e-Islami District Ameer Advocate Nadir Ali Khoso, among others.