Asad-Hyderabad-Two-Hyderabad

Asad-Hyderabad-Two-Hyderabad

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Oct, 2020 ) :Asad Umar told that the Hyderabad package would be worked out after the Karachi package's development works would be streamlined.

When asked about the court's judgment concerning justice Qazi Faez Essa, he said the full bench itself came to the conclusion that there were relevant questions about the properties which needed to be answered.

"It means the court agreed with the contention that the questions which arose needed answers," he underscored, The minister said the attorney general Anwar Masood Khan was a sophisticated person but might be possible that some of his remarks had offended the court.

Responding to a question about the controversy revolving around the Bhundar and Dingi islands in Sindh, the minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan had already clarified that the issue would be resolved with consensus.

"We aren't sending an army to occupy these islands. The PPP's (previous) Federal government had itself tried to initiate similar projects on these islands," he recalled.

Asad Umar reiterated that in July, 2020, why did the provincial government issue NOC for the two islands to the center if they were opposed to the federal initiative.

" I think only politics is being done on the islands," he observed.

He contended that presently Pakistan, particularly Sindh, needed investment and employment which would be provided by the island projects.

Commenting on the PDM's power show in Karachi on October 18, Umar said PTI and MQM-P could hold a far larger power show in Karachi if the threat of spread of COVID-19 pandemic did not exist.

"We do not feel any pressure from PDM's power show," he said, adding that the two parties had 20 seats of the National Assembly in Karachi and Hyderabad.

He said the COVID-19 policy of Pakistan had been appreciated by the global community and advised the people to follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) because the virus was still present.

The minister noted that the spread of the virus would affect both the human health and livelihood.

When questioned about the controversy concerning the population census 2017, he told that the federal government had formed a cabinet committee, comprising representatives from all the provinces, to resolve the issue.

"If the census increases the Karachi population, Sindh's share in the NFC and the federal resources will also increase. My question is why we haven't heard the voice of the CM Sindh or Sindh government on this issue. This question should be asked from them," he said.