Sindh govt rejects Islands Development Authority ordinance

Sindh government rejects Islands Development Authority ordinance

KARACHI (Dunya News) - Provincial Minister for local government Nasir Hussain Shah has said that the Sindh government will not accept any ordinance issued regarding Sindh’s islands, while government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said that the islands belong only to the fishermen living on them.

According to details, the Sindh Chief Minister convened a cabinet meeting on the issue, in which members flat out refused to accept the Presidential Ordinance issued on the Islands, declaring it unconstitutional and illegal.

Talking to media after the meeting, Nasir Shah said that party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto has taken a firm stand on the ordinance. “How can the federation claim this land”, he asked.

Nasir Shah said that the cabinet also unanimously rejected the illegal and unconstitutional presidential ordinance as the islands belong to Sindh.

Sindh government spokesman Murtaza Wahab said that it is our responsibility to protect the property of Sindh. We will send our objections to the federal government by letter as well, he added.

Murtaza Wahab said that the islands belong to Sindh and will remain so, there will be no compromise on this and any decision regarding the islands will be taken in accordance with the Constitution of Pakistan.

Reacting to the cabinet meeting, Federal Minister Ali Zaidi tweeted that the federal government has not taken any unconstitutional action regarding Bundal island, everyone can see the hypocritical face of the PPP.

In response, Sindh Information Minister Nasir Shah replied that if the land was the federation’s, why did it seek the NOC from Sindh?

He said that the NOC only allows construction on the islands for betterment of the residents, not ownership. Construction NOCs can even be given to a private company, he added.