KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah blamed the PML-N’s federal government unleashed a policy of crushing the province of Sindh by depriving its people of water, power and federal transfers and "this is a political agenda."

This he said while addressing a crowded press conference here at his Sindh Assembly Chamber on Thursday.

He said that the federal government of PML-N is penalising people of Sindh on three serious issues - prolonged load-shedding, water shortage during Rabi and short release of federal transfers (funds) – due to which not only day-to-day life has been affected badly but agro-industrial economy is crippling in the province.

Talking about prolonged load-shedding, the chief minister said that he has written two letters to the prime minister and talked to him on telephone for at least six times to draw his attention towards the SSGC-KElectric dispute. It has turned into over 12-hour prolonged load-shedding in the city due to which the businessmen are being forced to shut down their industrial units.

Murad Ali Shah said that the prime minister told him that he had called both the entities, SSGC and KE. But instead of listening and directing both the parties personally, he deputed Miftah Ismail to settle the dispute. However, when he called Miftah on his cell phone he was out of the country.

The chief minister said the SSGC claims that its dues of Rs 29 billion against KE were outstanding for a long period. Therefore, it [SSGC] has reduced gas supply to KE from 276 mmcfd to 90 mmcfd, due to which four gas-based power plants of KE stopped generating electricity causing more than 12 hours load shedding.

The CM Sindh said that when the SSGC claim of Rs29 billion outstanding dues was audited it turned to be Rs13 billion principal amount while the remaining amount was due to late payment and interest.

He added that the KE was ready to pay the original amount in instalments along with full current payment of the gas. Now, the court has also directed the SSGC to supply 276 mmcfd gas to KE.

The chief minister said to the federal government: "This is your dispute as the federal government has 73 percent share in SSGC and 24 percent share in KE, so you get it settled, why you are penalising people of Karachi".

Murad Shah said that power outage also affects water supply in Karachi because pumping stations get tripped.

Talking about load shedding in rural areas of the province, the chief minister said that in average 16 hour prolonged load shedding is resorted in Shaheed Benazirabad, 14 hours in Sukkur, 12 hours in Mirpurkhas, 16 hours in Larkana, 14 hours in Hyderabad, 18 hours in his hometown Distt Jamshoro. "This shows how much severe the vendetta of the federal government is against the people of Sindh, because since 1970s they have been voting PPP to power," he said.

Talking about federal transfers, the chief minister said that so far the federal government has given Rs94 billion short. "This has caused serious problems with the financial health of the provincial government," he said and added this was why he has curtailed development expenditure "because we can't curtail salary expenditures," he said.

Murad Ali Shah said that it was the inefficiency of the federal government that it could not achieve its tax recovery targets. As far as the Sindh government is concerned its collections are close to the targets. The SRB, Excise Taxation would achieve their recovery target, he vowed.

The chief minister said that some people against load shedding and water shortage are planning to stage sit in at CM House. "You have every right to protest against non-provision of utility services but "I would invite all political parties to come together and stage sit-in outside the PM House and I'll be with you," he said.

Talking about water shortages, he said that during Rabi Session the IRSA had conveyed that there would be 20 percent water shortages but the shortages reached to 36 percent. "I don't know the water shortage was natural or it was theft," he questioned.