KARACHI - Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh on Thursday said that the provincial government was ready to take control of power distribution companies--Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) and Sukkur Electric Power Company-on its own terms and condition for betterment of the people of Sindh.

While responding to a calling attention notice of Grand Democratic Alliance’s Arif Mustafa Jatoi, the energy minister said that injustice was being done with the people of Sindh as 18-hour electricity was carried out in the province. Contrary to Jatoi’s notice, Shaikh said that the provincial government was involved only in coal mining under public private partnership and had nothing to with electricity production and its transmission. “They (opposition members) don’t know about the procedures and come up with unnecessary question,” he added. The GDA lawmaker said that Sindh government was already engaged in coal mining, electricity production and its transmission, asking that would it not be convenient for it to take over distribution too.

Jatoi added that the federation was ready if the provincial government wanted to carry out the electricity’s distribution.

Judicial and legal 

reforms

Separately, Shaikh said that Sindh government was bringing judicial and legal reforms to take the criminals and terrorists to task.

Responding to a calling attention notice moved by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Arsalan Taj, Shaikh on behalf of the law department said that verdicts of the cases depend upon statement of witnesses and FIRs. “What would the judges do, if a witness does not turn up to record his statement,” the minister asked.

Shaikh also turned down the PTI lawmaker’s stance that many culprits were acquitted due to faulty prosecution and said that it might happened in few cases. “The criminals especially terrorists find a safe haven in cases when the prosecution presents weak argument against those involved in destabilizing the law and order situation across the province,” PTI Arsalan Taj said. He said that criminals and terrorists were acquitted due faulty prosecution, adding that notorious Lyari gangster Uzair Baloch was acquitted in four terrorism cases during last week. “The joint investigation team had found Uzair Baloch guilty of many heinous crimes. Are there some people who are providing shelter to him (Uzair Baloch),” he asked.

Taj said that prosecution’s witnesses against Rao Anwar—facing charges of killing around 400 people in fake encounters—turned hostile as they had no protection. The provincial assembly had passed a Witnesses Protection Act but the same was not implemented as yet.

‘No schools for special children’

Meanwhile, Shahnawaz Jadoon of PTI said that there was no any government school for special children including hearing impaired, visually impaired and dumb students in Karachi. He added that urgent steps were required for establishment of the schools. He recommended that two or three rooms in every public sector should be allocated along with specialized teachers to teach the special children.

Energy Minister said that Chief Minister’s Special Assistant for differentially abled persons had taken measures for the special children but there was still need to do lot more.

Meanwhile, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal’s Syed Abdul Rasheed said that parked motorbikes were being lifted in Karachi especially from Tower to Empress Market by the unauthorized persons through private labour. He alleged that the operation was being carried out under ‘supervision’ of the traffic police.

Replying to the MMA member, Shaikh said that the police could lift illegally parked bikes and cars under the laws. He, however, assured Rasheed that proper mechanism would be devised in a meeting with Inspector General and Deputy Inspector General Traffic. During the proceedings, an adjournment motion, regarding prolonged gas load-shedding, moved by Shazia Javed of PPP was also admitted for discussion.

Question Hour

To a question, Agriculture Minister Ismail Rahu explained that market committee Karachi of the New Sabzi Mandi consisted of a panel of 18 members for undertaking all operations of the vegetable market. He said the same committee performed different jobs including cleanliness of the Mandi, under observation of appointed stakeholders to monitor all cleanliness activities. Later, the house was adjourned till Friday (today).