HYDERABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Monday clapped back at the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) for its recent allegations against the Sindh government regarding Hyderabad’s deteriorating civic conditions.
PPP leaders asserted that MQM-P’s decades-long control over the city’s municipal bodies had contributed significantly to the current state of affairs.
Addressing a press conference at the Hyderabad Press Club, PPP Sindh information secretary Ajiz Dhamra, former MPA Abdul Jabbar Khan, and the party’s Hyderabad general secretary Waseem Rajput accused MQM-P of neglecting civic responsibilities during its tenure.
They defended the Sindh government’s efforts to address Hyderabad’s infrastructure challenges, claiming that significant progress had been made under the PPP-backed administration.
Ajiz Dhamra called MQM-P’s criticism unfounded, arguing that the party had mismanaged civic institutions since gaining control in 1988. He labeled MQM-P representatives as “urban feudal lords” and challenged them to present evidence of their accomplishments in Hyderabad during their tenure.
“The PPP-backed mayor, serving for the first time, has already delivered better results than MQM-P’s leadership,” Dhamra said.
Abdul Jabbar Khan highlighted key PPP-led initiatives, including the construction of the Abdul Sattar Edhi Road, which connects the city to the highway. He noted that 90% of the road was complete, with progress delayed only due to encroachments.
Khan also mentioned efforts to secure express feeders from the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) to support sewerage facilities during the monsoon season. Additionally, the Latifabad Unit-4 filtration plant is being upgraded to enhance the city’s drinking water supply.
Dhamra accused MQM-P of perpetuating ethnic divisions, a strategy he claimed the party had relied on for decades. He emphasized Hyderabad’s evolving political landscape, citing the presence of Urdu-speaking leaders like Jabbar Khan and Waseem Rajput in PPP’s Hyderabad chapter.
“Hyderabad has changed. Today, Urdu-speaking Sindhis are playing a vital role in PPP’s leadership,” Dhamra stated.
He further alleged that MQM-P was responsible for the city’s water shortages and deteriorating civic infrastructure, given its control of municipal institutions for nearly 40 years. He urged MQM lawmakers to apologize to the public for their failures.
The PPP leaders also addressed the federal government’s plan to construct six canals, including the Cholistan Canal. Ajiz Dhamra reiterated Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah’s objections to the project, noting that formal letters had been sent to the federal government requesting a Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting to resolve the matter.
Dhamra criticized those targeting former President Asif Ali Zardari for presiding over a meeting on the Green Pakistan Initiative, emphasizing that the presidency lacks executive powers. He insisted that such projects should be discussed in forums like the National Economic Council (NEC) under the prime minister’s leadership.
PPP leaders also highlighted their participation in JUI-F’s multiparty conference, where Sindh’s irrigation minister presented data opposing the canals project. The party has also raised concerns during Central Development Working Party (CDWP) meetings.
Jabbar Khan addressed financial challenges facing the Hyderabad Water & Sewerage Corporation, including delays in salary and pension disbursements. He noted that the Sindh government was actively considering measures to resolve these issues.
Khan stressed the need to restore subsidies for the corporation, akin to those provided to Punjab’s Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA). He acknowledged, however, that political appointments within the corporation posed challenges to workforce downsizing.
The PPP leaders reaffirmed their commitment to Hyderabad’s development, urging the public to compare the Sindh government’s recent achievements with MQM-P’s decades-long record. They assured citizens that efforts to address civic challenges would continue, despite MQM-P’s criticism.
