KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that his government has cancelled arms licenses which have not been verified so far. “However, the cancelled licenses could be revalidated if necessary documents are presented. Otherwise they stand cancelled.”
This he said while talking to media just after presiding over a Rehabilitation Response (RR) programme at FPCCI today.
He said that the Sindh government had been extending date for verification of arms licenses from time to time but “I have refused to extend the further and have cancelled over 550,000 license which had not been verified so far,” he said and added “Oh yes, my government has decided to give an opportunity to the holders of cancelled licenses to file an application with the home department to revalidate their licenses but all this depends upon the authentication of the required documents.
This may be noted that there were over one million arms licenses in Sindh, of them so far only 450,000 have been verified and the remaining 550,000 licenses have been cancelled by the chief minister.
The chief minister has directed the home department to launch a website page to post details of verified and cancelled licenses from August 20, 2016. He also urged them to launch a similar mobile phone application where people can see whether the status of license arms licenses.
Replying to a question, chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that the special assistants and ministers have not been appointed on `son-quota’ basis but majority of them are elected (MPAs) and a few have been picked up to give representation to a particular community or on technical basis (technocrats).
Addressing the gathering at FPCCI organised by Rehabilitation Response (RR) the chief minister lauded the services of its Trustee Dr Amjad Gulzar and Dr Iqbal for ailing humanity. On his request all the guests and audiences rose from their seats and kept clapping to pay rich tribute to both the living legends doctors for few minutes.
Chief Minister Syeed Murad Ali Shah directed Minister Health Dr Sikandar Mendhro and secretary Health Ahmed Bux Narejo, who were present there, to work out a plan to start second shift in the government hospitals. ” I am thankful to RR that they have proposed second shift in the hospitals to make them functional round the clock,” he said and added that he had already declared emergency in health and education sectors. This move would help achieving his agenda of providing health services in the government sector round the clock.
It may be noted that all the government hospitals function only during the office hours, however, emergency services are available there round the clock. The Chief minister has asked the health department to prepare a proposal to functionalize the government hospitals in two shifts. It means the OPD and specialists would be available there in both the shifts.
The chief minister said that he had launched a Rs10 billion special package to repair, rehabilitate, recast and reconstruct important roads of the city. “I know Karachi contributes in the national exchequer more than any other city, therefore it must be given due share for which I am striving hard and working to give a new beautiful shape to this city,” he said.
Syed Murad Shah said that another glaring issue of the city is water. “Tomorrow on August 14, I am going to launch K-IV project to provide 260 MGD water to the residents of this city, and this would also help to provide more water to the industrialists,” he assured and said it was first phase of K-IV and then there would be another phase for another 260 MGD.
Dr Amjad Guzar handed over keys of seven ambulances which are fully equipped to the chief minister. These ambulances are almost mobile health unit. The chief minister thanked Dr Amjad Gulzar for donation.
Those who spoke on the occasion include S.M Munir, Khalid Tabba, Dr Amjad Gulzar and Dr Iqbal. Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah, MNA Naveed Qamar, Special assistant to CM Qasim Naveed and others attended the FPCCI programme.
