Information minister Shibli Faraz on Tuesday made a solemn pledge to the citizens of Karachi that they will "not be left at the mercy of the Sindh government" as the city grapples with the aftermath of heavy rain showers which began on Sunday.
The information minister, while addressing the media in Islamabad, said that Karachi's dilapidated drainage system came to the fore after the rains left roads and even homes severely inundated.
"All this is proof of the negligence of the Sindh government," Faraz said, adding: "They did nothing. It seems as if there is no sewerage system in the city."
He said that no attention had been paid to institutions in Karachi and the city's infrastructure.
"Where are the billions in funds given for Karachi's development?" he asked.
The minister said that time and again the Sindh government has "given ample evidence of incompetence".
"Looking at the situation in Karachi, it seems that there is no government there at all," he remarked.
Faraz vowed that the federal government will "do all it can for Karachi". "Members of the Assembly in Karachi have been directed to stay in touch with the people of their constituency," he said.
Demanding that the Sindh government act immediately for the redressal of the city's problems, he said that the provincial government had always prioritised "things of surface value rather than the deep-rooted issues".
Faraz said that it is time the PPP focuses its attention on sorting Sindh's problems rather than passing criticism on the Centre's doings.
Since Sunday, the heavy rain showers have caused severe damage to the infrastructure of the city, and at least 10 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents.
Moreover, residents in several areas braced prolonged power outages, besides their homes being inundated from the rainwater and vehicles floating on heavily flooded streets.
