High level moot reviews development schemes in Sindh

ARKANA: Acting Sindh Governor Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has directed the officials of National Highway Authority (NHA) to complete the remaining internal roads of Larkana city under Larkana Development Package (LDP) so that the people may be able to get benefit from the development package.

This he said while presiding over a high level meeting held to review the progress of development schemes of Larkana District at the Circuit House here on Saturday. The roads pinpointed include Kamber Road Chowk to MiroKhan Road, Nishter Road, Bakrani Road, Naudero Chowk to village Channa Road. The funds are available with the NHA. The uncompleted roads in the city may be completed by all means in shortest possible time, it was stressed.

The Acting Sindh Governor also directed the officers of provincial highways and buildings department to realise their responsibilities and complete the development schemes without any delay and provided him the lists of development schemes.

During the meeting it was informed that an amount of Rs 650 million was earmarked for the development programme of Larkana District, out of which Rs 500 million was allocated for completing the on- going development schemes in the district and the remaining amount will be utilised under peoples development programme with the approval of SPDC Larkana.

Nisar Ahmed Khuhro directed the officials of North Sindh Urban Corporation that they should ensure the cleanliness of Larkana city and utilise the tractor-brush on the roads, so that without any delay the roads of the city may look like neat and clean, and the drainage system of the city may also be improved without delay.

The Acting Governor also directed the Irrigation officers to immediately prepare a plan regarding the construction of spurs at Aaqil-Agani Bund on the Indus River and the strengthening work of Nusrat Loop Bund, Abad Manguli Loop Bund and carry out the extension of Larkana-Khairpur Bridge without delay.

The work on the above development schemes of Irrigation Department may be stared from December 2010, in order to smoothly face any kind of emergency during the abkalani season in the coming year 2011, he said. In this regard all precautionary measures may be adopted to strengthen the Indus river protective Bunds before any other flood, he further directed.

During the meeting DCO Larkana Abdul Aleem Lashari briefed the Acting Sindh Governor that the government land for establishment of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU) Larkana has been identified and it will be sent to the provincial government for approval, so that the construction work of the University building may be started in due course of time. The Acting Governor directed the EDO Agriculture Larkana to establish public parks at police line Larkana or near District Jail (MiroKhan Chowk) for the entertainment of people of the city.

The EDO Agriculture briefed the Acting Governor that an amount Rs 2.2 million was spent for the establishment of parks in the city and the site mentioned near Mirokhan Chowk (in front of District Jail Larkana) was already in the scheme and it will be developed as a public park in accordance with an old demand of the people of this city.

Nisar Ahmed Khuhro directed DO Elementary Larkana to provide him the factual position about why the primary school teachers were transferred from the rural areas to the city and in the appointment of primary school teachers only 8 posts were shown in two union council of the city and all the remaining vacant posts of primary school teachers were shown in rural areas. He should be given an appraisal of the matter without any delay, he said.

The Acting Governor Sindh also distributed 55 sewing machines among the needy and poors at his Larkana residence. On the occasion Nisar Ali Shaikh, Khair Muhammad Shaikh, Ghulam Abbas Kehar, Aftab Bhutto, Niaz Laghari, Ameer Bux Gaad were also present. EDO Revenue Asadullah Abro, Project Director SESCO Aijaz Gaad, Noor Ahmed Dayo and EDOs of various departments and district officers were present in the meeting at the Circuit House.

Nisar Khuhro distributes sewing machines/vegetable carts

LARKANA: Speaker of the Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said that the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was of empowerment of women in the society. The empowerment comes with economic freedom and to achieve this goal “Sewing Centres” will be opened at the union council level through-out Sindh province, so that more and more poor women / widows may benefit from the scheme and stand on their own two feet. This he said while distributing 240 sewing machines among the widows / poor women and vegetable carts among the poor and needy peoples at his Larkana residence, On Thursday. He said that Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto gave great sacrifice of her life for the rights of poor people of the country under her vision the present PPP government was allotting 25 acres of government land to each woman Hari, while free fertilizers and seed were also being to provide them, he said. Besides he said in the different institutions the women were also performing their duties in the country. The speaker also said that the Government was giving full attention for the promotion of female education, while the scholarship was being to given the girl students so that after completion their education they will be able to serve the nation in different institutions of the country. He said that we are distributing 20-20 sewing machines in each union council so that the poor women / widows may be able to earn their livelihood on self help basis. The speaker reiterated that the mission of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto will be completed at all cost. Later, The Speaker Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro visited Shaikh Zaid Hospital for women Larkana. On the occasion, he appreciated the efforts of the lady doctors who are providing free treatment to the indoor patients specially flood survivors of the affected areas. He also commended the efforts and services being rendered by the Medical Superintendent Chandka Medical college Hospital Larkana Dr. Zulfiqar Siyal. The speaker SA advised all the doctors and other paramedics to continue their service for the betterment of ailing poor and needy people and extent all possible help to them. He also distributed Eid clothes among the indoor female patients of flood hit areas. On the occasion Professor Rafia Baloch, Dr. Shahida Shaikh and other concerned officials were present.

No flood threat to Bhutto's City, says CM Sindh

LARKANA: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said that there is no flood threat to Larkana city, and asked the people of Larkana not to give any attention to the rumors.
During his visit to the Aaqil Agani embankment here on Monday, while talking to journalists, he said that a large number of party workers, irrigation officials and district administration Larkana are striving hard to strengthen the vulnerable point at Aaqil-Agani Bund.
Speaker of the Sindh Assembly, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Law Minister Ayaz Soomro, Minister for Women's Development Ms. Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto, PPP leaders Haji Munwar Ali Abbasi MPA, Dr. Shafquat Soomro, Nisar Ali Shaikh, Khair Muhammad Shaikh, Noorddin Abro, large number of PPP leaders and workers were also present on the occasion.
The Chief Minister directed the officials of the Irrigation department to ensure the required machinery and stones on emergency basis at the vulnerable point of Aaqil-Agani embankment.
On the occasion, secretary Irrigation and Power Shuja Junejo briefed that the required machinery and stones were reaching at the spot on emergency basis and the speaker Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro established a camp at the embankment to supervise the strengthening work.
Syed Qaim Ali Shah along with Sindh Law Minister Ayaz Soomro arrived at Shahdadkot by air where Minister for Food, Mir Nadir Ali Magsi briefed the Chief Minister that the protective embankment along with bypass was being strengthened. He said that flood water flow was increasing from 3 sides including Balochistan, Garhi Khairo side and Golo Daro area.
Secretary Irrigation Shuja Junejo, Chief Engineers Irrigation Agha Aijaz Pathan, Khalid Memon, SE Saifullah Magsi canal Shafquat Wadho also gave their expert opinion that the floodwater may be given a way via zero point to Hamal Lake and Manchar lake. The proposal was approved by the chief Minister.
The Chief Minister also distributed food items at the relief camp established at Govt Degree College Ratodero. The food packets were donated by the National Bank of Pakistan Larkana Region.

President Zardari inaugurates power plant in Larkana

LARKANA: President Asif Zardari Sunday urged foreign investors to take advantage of the business opportunities in Pakistan and establish energy and infrastructure projects in partnership with provincial governments.

He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the first gas fired rental power plant of 51 Mega Watts at Naudero, district Larkana. President Zardari said power producers were of benefit to Pakistan, as they kept the country out of darkness.

President Zardari thanked the Walter Power International, which has set up the power plant for making investment in the interior of Sindh saying it will create thousands of jobs for people. The company has a history of setting up power projects in Pakistan, he added.

Zardari said the government is pursuing the policy of setting up projects through public-private-partnership while ensuring rights of provinces. 
The provinces would have equity in the power projects by providing gas and the land, which would help in creating projects worth billions of dollars. 
He asked the Sindh government to establish a special incentive zones for new industries. The president stressed on people to put their trust in the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government so that it can build a better future for Pakistan.

“I remember challenges of the days when the government of Benazir Bhutto was dismissed and the power projects were also derailed,” he recalled.

He said the investors came at the invitation of first Benazir Bhutto government and in her second stint they set up the projects like Hubco with the generation capacity of 1,500 MW. He said Shaheed Benazir Bhutto had the foresight to see the rising electricity demand due to growth in population. 

The Benazir Bhutto government managed to sign Memorandums of Understandings (MOUs) of 40,000 MW of which 4,500 MW was to be produced from coal, he noted. 

He said PPP has a vision for tomorrow and it understands needs of the future. It fulfilled its promise by making operational, the first power plant of Sindh in Larkana. He reminded that in the past PPP was criticized for bringing independent power producers to Pakistan. 

The Naudero power plant has been assured 12mmcfd gas for five year through PEPCO's Generation Company and an SSGC gas transmission pipeline has been linked to it besides laying of 132 KV transmission line to connect the power to national grid.

It will provide power to 2,500 tubewells which are designed to irrigate 75,000 acres of land that produces 1.2 million tons of wheat and rice besides ensuring stable power to over 1,000 average sized villages in the area.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Federal Minister for Water & Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Interior Minister A. Rehman Malik, Minister for Privatization Syed Naveed Qamar, Speaker Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Nisar Ali Shaikh (Shaikh Brothery), Provincial Ministers, Central Information Secretary of PPP Fouzia Wahab, MNAs, MPAs, PPP leaders and high officials were present on the occasion. -APP

Nation need fair and free election system in Pakistan. Nisar Khuhro

LARKANA: 15th March: The Speaker Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said on Sunday that the country needs strong institutions to nurture political leadership and transparent electoral system for true democracy. This he said while in an Open Discussion Forum of N.A 205 and its constituencies regarding the fair and free election Network Pakistan’s title on “Democratic Government Program (DGP)” arranged by the local NGO Mathini Women Development Organization here at local hotel.

The DGP session in Larkana was also attended by the Federal Minister for Youth Affairs Shahid Hussain Bhutto, Provincial Minister Sindh for Women Development Tauqir Fatima Bhutto and other members of Provincial Assembly Sindh, NGOs, Civil Society and large number of women and citizens.

Addressing the participants Nisar Khuhro said the public expectations are high and present democratic government priority to resolve complex issues of the constituencies and peoples basic problems he said. He said PPP believes that social policy objectives drive economic policy and the party is committed to provide better social and living standards for the people of our country.

He said the community is aware about their rights and the dream of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was that the the people of this area must be educated regarding the democratic governance and play their part in the election process and further in their system in country, as the fulfillment of this dream by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, who also sacrificed her life for the country people and democracy he said.

Nisar Khuhro further said in country majority of people living in poverty, in this regard the poverty alleviation is the basic agenda to resolve problems of people and financial assistance was being given to poor by helping women under women Development Support Program and other objectives.

Before this, Speaker distributed the 127 orders among the sanitary workers and other employees and said that it is the dream of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto to give jobs to unemployed; he also distributed cheques of Rs. 80000 to 40 poor people 2000 each one, besides three wheel chairs, 1 tri-cycle was also given to the disable persons.

Sindh Minister for Women Development Touqeer Fatima Bhutto said that present government was trying to resolve the problems of masses, because of great sacrifice of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, which was given only for the rights of the people and restoration of democracy.

She said the the people gave mandate to the present government, and the FAFEN objectives are also to take the masses in General elections and franchise their vote according to the will by aware them in the different sector she said. She said there is need of education and awareness among the society and provide them health, roads, electricity, sui gas facilities at their door steps with out any discrimination is also the objective of present government she said.

The Provincial Minister also said that the president of Pakistan was implementing the principle of political reconciliation with all political parties and trying utmost to strengthen the democracy in the country.

She said we are struggling to our best to implement the manifesto which is also the objectives of FAFEN wants to aware general masses in this regard she said.

On the occasion, Organizer and Program Manager FAFEN Nishata Mumtaz interact the audience regarding democratic governance and advocate the main agenda.

Other participants including Nisar Ali Shaikh (Shaikh Brothery) Chairperson Mathini Women Welfare Development Organization Farida Abbasi, Shams Jokhio, Imran Abbasi, Nasreen Baloch, Dr. Tanvir Ahmed and Dr. Ghulam Abbasi and others were present.

Larkana Development Authority revived

The Sindh Assembly unanimously passed a bill to revive Larkana Development Authority (LDA) with an amendment moved by Munawar Abbasi MPA for including three MPAs in the LDA, with one being its vice chairman.

Munawar Abbasi advocated for initiating a master plan for Larkana and other districts of the province. He said that sufficient budget should be earmarked for the LDA.
Talking about the objectives of the bill, Sindh Law Minister Muhammad Ayaz Soomro said that the past regime winded up LDA because of political reasons. He said that the LDA was being revived to provide shelter to the people. He said that the LDA would construct houses for the poor people.

Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto recalled that Z.A. Bhutto had established the LDA in 1974. She added that poor infrastructure in Larkana created an image problem and hoped that the city would be uplifted with the revival of LDA.