‘Summary prepared for transfer of five LG depts to elected representatives’

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) chief Dr Farooq Sattar said on Sunday that a summary had been prepared to hand over the authority of five local government departments to elected representatives.

This was observed by him during the groundbreaking ceremony of construction of streets in Korangi UC-6, Saudabad.

Addressing the media, the MQM-P chief observed that even the Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah would not be able to reject the summary in the light of the law.

Talking about the project, he said around 400 streets would be reconstructed in the 100-day campaign, scheduled to conclude on March 15.

Expressing confidence that the public would help make the campaign a success, Dr Sattar said the party’s power lay in the unity of the masses, and that MQM-P would restore permanent peace in the metropolis with their participation.

He asked people to not dispose of garbage at the corners of or on the streets. Further informing them about the garbage disposal system, he claimed that trackers would be installed in vehicles transporting the garbage to the landfill site, so as to monitor the routine disposal system.

“Despite no resources or funds available, garbage was still being disposed of gradually,” he said

However, he cleared that the campaign did not aim to clear the entire city within 100 days but major dumps in at least 20 UCs would be cleaned up.

The MQM-P vowed to ensure equitable distribution of water to the city, besides also calling for the water board’s authority to be handed over to the mayor, Waseem Akhtar.

The party chief was also claimed to have protested the bulldozing of at least 160 offices which he had said were legally constructed.

The offices were razed following the party founder’s anti-state speech delivered outside the local press club on August 22, 2016.

The MQM-P leaders had inaugurated the ‘Hamara Karachi’ 100- day cleanliness campaign by sweeping the streets in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Shah Faisal Colony and Korangi, on December 1, 2016.

Speaking at the drive’s launch, Dr Sattar had stressed that the uplift programme was beyond politics. “We shall serve the city without any discrimination,” he said, adding that sports events, including City Olympics, would be organised during the drive.

He had vowed that dispensaries and schools in Korangi’s union councils would be upgraded, adding that LED light bulbs, 0.4 million manhole covers and 1.2 million concrete blocks would be provided to the UCs.

The MQM-P had later on December 5, asked the federal and provincial governments to provide Rs150 billion each for finishing the 100-day cleanliness drive.

“The mayor’s job is to ensure that the city is clean and citizens are provided with basic civic facilities, but he hasn’t been empowered to carry out these functions effectively,” MQM-P information secretary Amin-ul-Haque had told The News.  “It’s not the chief minister’s job to look after the cleaning of garbage and drains,” he added.