Sindh ready to hold census, Murad says

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that he is ready to conduct census in Sindh. "Sindh had already offered to the federal government to start census from here but it could not take up due to law and order issues and now things are improved and the court has ordered, therefore, it would be done and Sindh government would support it completely."
This he said while talking to media today just after visiting different areas of the city where development works particularly road sector schemes have been launched on war footings. He was accompanied by Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro, Advisor to CM Saeed Ghani and senior officers who are implementing Karachi package.
CM said, "Census is most important for nations which help them to make present and future planning to address certain issues like development, budget and giving political share to each and every city according to its population strength. But why it could not be held is a long discussion?"
He said Pakistan people's Party (PPP) is running like blood into his body. "It is PPP which has given me this honour, and I am serving people of this province because it is part of its manifesto and it is the commitment of the party with the people."
CM said that he was thankful to Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq. "But the impression being created that I am working sincerely but the party is creating hurdles is totally baseless, unfounded and an attempt to separate him from the party which is not possible in his life", he added.
He said that there was much hue and cry that the University Road was completely dilapidated. "Today I have come here to start this work. It has been started in two parts, from Hassan Square to Nipa Chowrangi and from there it would go up Safoora Chowrangi", he said. Mr Jam Khan Shoro briefing the chief minister said that the cost of road from NED to Safoora Chowrangi would cost Rs777.9 million.
It is around 4.4 kilometer. He added that the along the road footpaths and service road would also be constructed. "We are changing the water line where necessary", he told the chief minister.
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that the cleanliness of the city would start from DMC South because its garbage lifting contract has been awarded to a Chinese company which has shipped necessary machinery for Karachi and the work would start from January.
"This is very sad situation that some people are saying that the work of lifting garbage has been taken away from KMC and DMCs but as a matter of fact the cleanliness work is always outsourced all over the world", he said and added that the Solid Waste Management Authority (SWMA) has not taken the powers of DMCs but the DMCs have started requesting it to clean their areas.
Talking about the powers of the Mayor, the CM said that this is not a political matter but these powers have been given to him by provincial assembly. "He is powerful and I am giving him full support, he should start serving the people instead of raising this issue off and on", he said.
CM added that he had met the Mayor and discussed all these issues. Mayor wants to serve the people and the same is my agenda. "We all are on the same page as far as service to the people of Karachi is concerned", he said.
Syed Murad Murad Ali Shah giving credit to former chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that all these schemes of Rs10 billion for Karachi were approved by him. "This is the work which our chief minister had left incomplete and now I am completing it", he said.
He added that work on widening of Shahrah-e-Faisal has also been taken up by the contractor. The portion from airport to Quaidabad has been taken up. Before staring the original work patch work had been done to make the road motor able.
He started his visit from Tariq Road where work has been started on war footings. The chief minister also went to see the progress and pace of the road from Godra Chowk to Shafiq Mor which will cost Rs 34.5 million. On the way he visited Gujjar Nala at Shafiq Mor where the local government minister Jam Khan Shoro briefed him about the removal of encroachment. The nala has been cleansed.
The chief minister on the request of Jam Khan Shoro allowed him to construct road along the Gujjar Nala from where encroachment has been removed.
"We have started development work everywhere in the city which would cause serious problems like flow of traffic and such others, but you have cooperate with the government because all this is being done for you (Karachiites)", Syed Murad Ali Shah concluded.