PPP, MQM vow to work together to tackle civic issues

Karachi
The Sindh government led by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the main opposition party of the province, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), resolved on Monday to set their differences aside and tackle with the rain aftermath.
Both factions announced this at a joint press conference at the Sindh Secretariat held by the newly-appointed local government minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly, Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan, both of whom vowed to join hands and combine forces for the good of the people.
Both leaders said be it the local government or any other contentious issue between two political parties, the two entities despite their differences, had a common vision for the good of the people and for it they would not tolerate any politicking.
The provincial minister and opposition leader said the MQM and PPP will work together to tackle rain and flood emergency situation in the aftermath of the monsoon.
Shah and Hassan also claimed that along with activists of both parties, a working relationship would also be established between district municipal administrators of Karachi with elected representatives of their respective areas so the important civic issues are resolved expediently.
The new local government minister said he had been directed by the chief minister to make sure to take on board all opposition political parties because the ruling party had high regard and of the public mandate in Karachi.
He said in the prevailing rain emergency, all political parties concerned had developed a consensus of views that differences should be set aside to gear up efforts for providing maximum relief and facilities to the masses.
The local government minister said he was glad to have the full support of Hassan, and MQM’s parliamentary leader in the House, Syed Sardar Ahmed, on behalf of their party willingness to provide relief to the public in the current monsoon season.
He said that both opposition leaders had assured that activists and lawmakers of the MQM would be available to help the government’s civic authorities for providing emergency services in areas where the opposition party had the public’s mandate.
In the same spirit, said the minister, the previous day he met the leadership of Jamat-e-Islami to ask thir support, adding that he also planned to meet representatives of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Awami National Party, to enlist their support as well.
Shah said in the meeting with MQM, its lawmakers had expressed their dissatisfaction and reservations regarding certain civic issues, including the dilapidated condition of the related infrastructure, but he had assured them the government would sort out all the issues with their support.
He said the appointment of full-time administrators in Karachi and Hyderabad was no issue at all since in case of Karachi, the divisional commissioner held the additional charge of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s administrator.
The minister said he had been directed by the chief minister to clean storm water drains and also take action against encroachments in these places in view of the forecast of heavy monsoon rains in the coming days.
He said all political parties concerned agreed that local bodies’ institutions should be purged of ghost and absentee employees and the government too had been trying to eradicate this menace.
Also speaking on the occasion, opposition leader Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan said MQM was the second biggest political party in Sindh and enjoyed the mandate and support of public in major cities of Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Mirpurkhas.
He said being the main opposition party, the MQM would continue with its positive role for development and progress in the city.
He said the new local government minister had earlier served as the mayor of Sukkur city and this background allowed him to be fully cognisant of municipal issues. Hassan said the new minister would strive for the resolution of municipal matters in the province with the same spirit he had shown in the past to resolve public issues in Sukkur.
He said the MQM would provide utmost support and cooperation to the government to help resolve any untoward situation in the current monsoon season.
He claimed the MQM had no differences of any sort with the PPP, except for objections over the way the ruling party had governed the province.