Murad says federal control needs constitutional amendment, warns against politicising Gul Plaza tragedy
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. PHOTO: Radio Pakistan
HYDERABAD:
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Sunday dismissed Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) demand for placing Karachi under federal control, asking the party to give a clear ultimatum to the Centre if it was serious about the proposal.
Talking to reporters in Sanghar on Sunday, where he condoled with PPP spokesperson and former senator Aajiz Dhamrah over his mother’s death, the chief minister said MQM-P should also quit the federal government if its ultimatum was ignored.
“They [MQM-P] have turned it into a life-and-death issue,” CM Shah said. “If they believe there is no other solution, they should formally give an ultimatum to the Centre to take over Karachi.”
He, however, pointed out that such a move would require a constitutional amendment, adding that without the PPP it was neither possible nor likely that the PML-N would risk alienating a key parliamentary ally.
The chief minister expressed concern over what he termed politicisation of the Gul Plaza tragedy. “It is inappropriate to indulge in politics over a tragedy,” he said, adding that while he could disclose details regarding the leasing and approval of the commercial building to implicate a particular party, he would refrain from doing so.
He said his government has sought a judicial inquiry into the incident by the Sindh High Court (SHC) to thoroughly examine all aspects of the case. According to him, the SHC has asked the provincial government to submit terms of reference (ToRs) for the probe.
CM Shah said the ToRs were finalised on Sunday and would be submitted to the SHC on February 2.
The chief minister also rejected media reports attributing the deaths of newborns in a government hospital in Tharparkar district to malnutrition. He said the deceased infants were premature babies with extremely low birth weight and their deaths had no direct link to undernourishment.
He lamented what he described as misreporting by sections of the media, saying the extensive maternal and child healthcare facilities available in Tharparkar were being ignored.
He added that social issues such as early marriages and lack of spacing between childbirths continued to affect maternal and infant health, but were often overlooked.
Referring to population growth, cM Shah said that at the time of the separation of East Pakistan 54 years ago, its population was around 70 million compared to 62 million in West Pakistan.
“Today, Bangladesh has managed to control its population at around 170 million, while Pakistan’s population has surged to nearly 250 million,” he said.
