Tharparkar: Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that the federal government has usurped the rights of smaller provinces, particularly of Sindh and denied to give its due share in NFC and other resources.

This he said while addressing a programme organized to launch housing scheme at Sehryo for the affected people of Thar Coalfield at Block-II at Sehryo village.

He said that his mother, Shaheed Mohterma Bhutto had dreamed to develop Thar through its black gold [The coal]. He added that the Sindh government has inherited the concept of Public Private Partnership from our Quaid Shaheed Mohterma Benazir Bhutto which had been the manifesto of the party during 1990s.

He said Thar has, of course changed- and now it is going to change Pakistan by meeting all its energy shortfall and to export surplus energy to be produced from coal-based power projects.

Bilawal Bhutto said that coal mining and coal-based power generation is a revolution, it’s a revolution of prosperity and development.

It becomes the responsibility of Pakistan government to trickle down the benefits of the projects being launched under CPEC such as Coal-based power plant in Thar.

He said that Sindh-Engro has made a successful bio-saline agriculture under which vegetables are grown. “Today I have not only seen bio-saline vegetable farm today but had me in lunch also. Now, fish farming is taking place in Thar, it is a revolution.”

Chairman said that Thar development has introduced promotion of local employment.

“I have invited Imran Khan to contest election from Karachi and we would defeat him.”

Replying to a question, he said that in the forth coming election PPP would return with majority of seats. He said Karachi was the capital of Sindh and “we are developing this city,” he said.

He added that Karachi is still being ruled by a local party through KMC but they are fighting with each other. Neither they are working nor allowing others to work- this is unfortunate.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari urged people of Karachi to vote PPP to power on the forth coming general election.

The chairman to another question assured people of Thar that the royalty of Thar coal power plant and coal of Thar would be spent on the development Thar. He said that Sindh government has started generating more gas-based 100 MW electricity and also generating wind and solar energy.

To a question, the chairman said that the federal government was not giving due rights to Sindh government. He said that they are not fixing tariff for power projects, they are not giving NFC and they are not giving due share in water. “Nawaz Sharif has remained prime minister of only Lahore not of Pakistan,” he concluded.

PROGRAM AT SEHRI VILLAGE:

A programme to hand over keys of houses built for the affected villagers of Thar Coalfield Block-II at Sehri village was organized at Sehri village. Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zaradri presides over the programme while chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah was the chief guest. CEO of SECMC and Chairman Thar Foundation Shamsuddin Shaikh hosted the programme.

The chief minister, briefing the Chairman PPP, said that the Sindh government has established Thar Foundation in partnership of SECMC. The foundation would work in health and education sectors and also fill the development gaps in different sectors.