KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice President and the leader of opposition in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh on Sunday deplored the condition of Ibrahim Haideri jetty and the fishers of this neglected locality.
Sheikh in the wake of possible cyclone visited Ibrahim Haideri and met with local fishers. He was accompanied by party leaders Adnan Ismail, Aijaz Sawati, Gohar Khattak, Jameelan Baloch, Abdul Razzaq Shujra and others.
Talking to media on the occasion, he said the Sindh government was only making announcements about the cyclone. He hoped that Allah, the Almighty, would save their coastal areas from destruction. He said that the ministry under maritime affairs was stopping fishers from venturing into the sea. He said the Sindh government should take preventive steps. He said arrangements should also be made for possible shifting of people from the vulnerable localities.
Sheikh said that the condition of the jetty and fishers of Ibrahim Haideri was poor. He said the Sindh government had yet to take the required steps in this locality. He said only notifications were issued but the relief camps were yet to be set up. He said the preparation of the Sindh government was limited to just announcing names of incharge ministers.
He said in Sindh the government had issued Rs4 billion for relief work after heavy rains. He said however, accumulated water receded after many weeks and in some areas, the stagnant water of previous rains was still present.
The PTI MPA said that due to possible cyclone, all fishers of Ibrahim Haideri had already returned back from the sea. “The federal government and NDMA would play their due role. When the fishers are banned from entering the sea they should be given some alternate financial support. The fisheries department has the record of fishers and Sindh government should provide assistance to local fishers,” Sheikh said.
He said that before the PPP government in Sindh, water theft was 20 percent which had increased to 35 percent in last 13 years. He said big landlords stole the water of small farmers. He said the ministers and officers of the PPP government patronized this water theft. He said the PPP government was responsible for shortage of water in Sindh. He feared that affected people might besiege the houses of ministers.
He asked the civil society and philanthropists to come forward for assisting the fishermen. The PTI leader said that corruption of billions of rupees was committed in Sindh irrigation department. Sheikh alleged: “Sindh government has also done corruption in cleaning of storm drains and Nullahs in Karachi. Henchmen of PPP are occupying plots in Malir. Sindh government has snatched Roti, Kapra and Makan from poor people.”
He said during the coronavirus pandemic, the PPP leaders delivered speeches instead of giving ration to the poor people. He said no any emergency management department in Sindh was active today. “Every time the Pak Army come for the rescue of the distressed people. Corruption is in every department of Sindh. Local bodies have been handed over to the PPP leaders who use their huge budget for personal comfort,” he further alleged.
Sheikh said gutters were overflowing in every town of Sindh and the local government department was inactive. He said the Sindh government had got the resources but they were not being properly used.