Sindh CM lashes out at Pak govt over water crisis, gas shortage and reduction in federal transfers

Pakistan's Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah lashed out at Imran Khan-led PTI government for the water crisis, rising gas shortages and reduction in federal transfers to the provinces.

Daily Times reported that the Chief Minister while addressing the media on Saturday said that Sindh has received Rs 106 billion less than its share in the 2020-21 budget which has affected the province.

"We are not asking for charity but demanding our constitutional rights." Shah said. He further alleged that from tax recovery to everything Center is not doing it's job rightfully but losses are faced by the provinces. Center has so far changed four finance ministers and now it is feared that if the present finance minister fails then the centre may demand Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP's) Naveed Qamar to fill in the post.

Shah also said that in 2007 they were unable to come here due to bad law and order situation in these areas, but now the law and order situation has improved.

While asking about the water shortage is being faced in Sindh this year but IRSA is not doing its work properly, he said we have been demanding that water shortage should be shared on equal basis in accordance with the 1991 Water Treaty but it is not being done. He said he has been raising this stance since 2018 before the Council of Common Interest (CCI) but justice is not being done.

Sindh CM further said that we have never heard of gas shortage in hot weather but due to incompetence of the Center, gas crisis has emerged in the month of June. He said in the Petrol scandal Lahore High Court has ordered an inquiry into the issue as to who is involved. He said PTI is talking about thieves but soon the tables will turn, and it will be their thieves that will be exposed.

The tug of war between the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) members from Pakistan's Sindh and Punjab over water distribution has touched a new low over the opening of TP-link canal from the Indus at a time when the low riparian federating units are craving for water even for drinking purposes.

IRSA has reviewed the water situation on May 27 after giving its new estimates under which the country will experience 17 per cent water shortages during the period from May 21 to June 10.

Earlier this month, Geo News reported the worsening state of Pakistan's energy crisis, as the country was facing an electricity shortfall of somewhere between 7,000 and 8,000 megawatts.

Unannounced load-shedding has reached its peak in Punjab, including Lahore, due to the electricity shortfall. Unannounced power suspension of up to three to five hours at many places during the last 72 hours had heightened the misery of the public.Due to the power crisis, besides Lahore, long hours of load-shedding are also taking place in other cities, including Islamabad, Peshawar and Karachi.

( With inputs from ANI )