Poverty, unemployment rampant in Sindh: official

ISLAMABAD: Poverty and unemployment are rampant in Sindh, despite 13 years consecutive rule of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) in the province, an official said.

Responding to the statement of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib said that Sindh is still the most deprived province where unemployment is on the rise, compared with other provinces of the country.

The minister said even today flour, wheat, sugar and other food items are being sold at the highest prices in Sindh, as the provincial government is backing the dreaded profiteers and hoarders.

There is no governance in the province, as the people have been left on the mercy of profiteers and tanker mafias, he said, adding that the profitable Pakistan Steel Mill (PSM) was also turned in to a bankrupt entity by none other than Asif Ali Zardari and his henchmen, as they looted it in a merciless way.

Various mafias are being supported by the provincial government, the minister of state said, adding that due to the incompetency of the PPP government, a 20kg bag of flour is being sold at Rs1,500 in Sindh, compared with Rs1,100/bag in Punjab.

The corrupt rulers of Sindh have devoured wheat worth billions of rupees, he said, adding that the federal government is working on every major uplift projects in the province, including cleaning of nullahs, green line, K-4, development of rural areas and the provincial government is doing nothing.

He advised Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to pay attention to the Sindh government so that they could breathe a sigh of relief and shun criticism for the sake of criticism.

The PPP has already become a regional party due to its policies and rampant corruption, he said.

The Pakistan Television (PTV) and other state institutions were ruined by inducting inept political cronies by the previous regimes, pushing the institutions to bankruptcy, he added.

The present government worked day and night to turn the state institutions into profitable entities. PTV had earned Rs1.30 billion profit this year, compared to a loss of Rs450 million in 2017, he added.

Habib said that the slogans of bread, cloth and house have already proved mere slogans to woo voters.

Contrary to that Prime Minister Imran Khan has provided relief to the poor segments of the society, he said, adding that the government has started Ehsaas programme for the poor and deserving.

The prime minister has ensured provision of house for the people. PTI has created millions of job opportunities in every sector, including construction and water resources, he added.

The minister said the Sindh government has refused to contribute to the Ehsaas Ration programme. The total allocations for the Benazir Income Support Programme were only Rs70 billion, whereas the present government has allocated Rs260 billion for the Ehsaas programme, he added.

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