SUKKUR: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that work on the remaining two sections of the Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway will start soon after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif responded positively to the Sindh government’s request.
He made these remarks while talking to media after inaugurating the 205th Urs of the famous Sufi saint Sachal Sarmast at the Daraza Sharif shrine near Ranipur in Khairpur district on Thursday.
The chief minister laid a chadar on the grave of the saint along with the shrine’s third custodian (Sajjada Nasheen) Khawaja Abdul Haq Farooqui, officially starting the Urs celebrations.
Several provincial ministers and political leaders attended the ceremony, including Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Syed Riaz Hussain Shah Shirazi, Nawab Khan Wassan, MPA Hallar Khan Wassan, Agha Shahbaz Khan Durrani and others.
Talking to reporters later, Murad Ali Shah said the Sindh government had repeatedly raised the issue of the incomplete motorway with the prime minister and federal authorities. He said the federal government was informed that while motorways were being built in other parts of the country, Sindh still did not have a proper motorway.
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He added that the Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway project consists of five sections. Work has already started on three sections, while work on the remaining two sections will begin soon.
The chief minister said the Sindh chief secretary had recently written to the federal authorities about several fatal road accidents that occurred last month. He said he also discussed the matter with the prime minister, who immediately directed the National Highways Authority (NHA) chairman to take action.
Commenting on the international situation, Murad Ali Shah described the global environment as alarming following the US-Israel attack on Iran. He said the situation had worsened due to the war imposed on Iran by Israel and had become more serious after the martyrdom of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Referring to a recent incident in Karachi, he said the US Embassy had not been closed, although some staff members had been called back.
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Responding to another question, the chief minister said a meeting had already been held with the provincial ministers for home and planning to discuss development work in the riverine (katcha) areas. He added that the government would provide all possible facilities there, while a large number of police and Rangers were already deployed in the area.
Murad Ali Shah said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) strongly opposed terrorism wherever it existed. He noted that the party’s leader Shaheed Benazir Bhutto was also a victim of terrorism.
He added that the Pakistan Army was continuing strong operations against terrorists across the country.
During his visit to the shrine, the chief minister prayed for the safety and security of Pakistan, the nation, the region and the Muslim Ummah.
Later, he visited the residence of Khawaja Abdul Haq Farooqui, who presented him with a traditional Ajrak and a special shield.
Sukkur Commissioner Abid Saleem Qureshi and Deputy Commissioner Altaf Ahmed Chachar also presented commemorative shields to the chief minister, provincial ministers and other officials. Devotees at the shrine performed “Sachal ka Sur,” the traditional melodies associated with Sachal Sarmast.
