Pakistan to punish M ay 9 arsonists as US did to C apitol rioters, says PM

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He said the two major political parties of Karachi voted for the prime minister and his government enjoyed a super majority in Sindh

He said the people of Sindh also pinned hopes on the prime minister for the resolution of their issues Bilawal said K-IV project faced immense delay and that Karachi needed “Shehbaz Speed” for the resolution of its issues

Regarding the floods the foreign minister said concerted efforts were needed for the rehabilitation of the people in Sindh

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, South Punjab and other areas, including the metropolises

He said around 52 percent of Sindh’s educational infrastructure had been damaged by the floods impacting the education of around 47 percent population Bilawal Bhutto said the leaders of the PPP MQM and other parties also faced jails and other hardships but they always stood for democracy, without resorting to violence

Minister for Water Resources Syed Khursheed Shah said the project was of utmost importance to meet Karachi’s water needs

He said the first phase would provide 260 million gallons of water to the city

He also requested the prime minister to announce the K-5 project as the K-4 would be insufficient to cope with future needs Shah said due to the government s efforts and dedication, the country would neither default nor its economy would destabilize Minister for Maritime Affairs Faisal Sabzwari said the K-IV project was also part of the agreement between the MQM and the ruling coalition

He said unnecessary delay in the project led to a huge increase in the cost

He said the whole province including Sindh chief minister had serious reservations about the census Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said starting from 2002, the project was used to be an example of ill-planning and had faced immense delay The project would accumulatively cost around Rs200 billion which could have been around Rs100 billion had it been started timely

He said storage of Keenjhar Lake would have to be enhanced as the Irrigation Department has already proposed a project for the water body’s expansion He urged the federal government to ensure the provision of funds for the timely completion of the project Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori said under the leadership of prime minister and Foreign Minister Bilawal, the project was moving ahead He said for the first time, the federal and provincial governments were on the same page to execute the much-delayed project

He said the May 9-like incidents had united the nation and thwarted the designs of the miscreants

In his address WAPDA Chairman Engr Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani (Retd) said K-IV water project would supply 650 million gallons of water to Karachi The first phase would provide 260 million gallons and 390 million gallons to be supplied in the second phase He said under the project a 111-kilometer-long pipeline would be laid from Keenjhar Lake to Karachi

The first phase would cost Rs126 billion as Rs33 billion had already been spent on the project

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Water Resources Minister Syed Khursheed Shah, Maritime Affairs Minister Faisal Sabzwari Syed Qaim Ali Shah and others were also present PM SHEHBAZ FM BILAWAL DISCUSS

POLITICAL SITUATION

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here and discussed the overall political situation in the country Held at the Sindh Chief Minister House the meeting was also attended by federal ministers Syed Naveed Qamar Syed Faisal Sabzwari Marriyum Aurangzeb State Minister Dr Musaddiq Malik Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar