Karachi residents to see change in 100 days: Wahab

KARACHI: Newly-elected Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Tuesday vowed to financially stabilise the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), stressing that financial stability is his first priority.

Wahab admitted that the cleaning of storm water drains is the topmost challenge at this time, so measures should be taken to deal with heavy rainfall in the monsoon season. He made the assurance that residents would see a change within the next 100 days.

He chaired a meeting of departmental heads at the KMC head office. Newly-elected Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad and Municipal Commissioner Syed Afzal Zaidi were also present on the occasion.

Earlier, the new mayor and deputy mayor visited the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, where they laid floral wreaths and offered Fateha for the founder of Pakistan. Speaking to the media on the occasion, Wahab said everyone would be taken on board to improve the city. He said that construction and other developmental works would be carried out in consultation with all the stakeholders.

Later, he received a warm welcome on his arrival at the KMC head office with the deputy mayor, as the municipal body’s officers and other employees greeted them and showered rose petals on them.

Addressing the meeting of the KMC’s departmental heads, Wahab said that to improve the city’s basic infrastructure, maintenance of roads and provision of street lights would be ensured on a priority basis, while the KMC’s hospitals would be improved so that residents can get proper medical facilities there.

He said that various projects would be started under public-private partnership for the improvement of Karachi so that the private sector can be included in the works of construction and development of the city.

He also said Karachi would be made a clean and green city, so under this objective, wall-chalking and plastic bags would be banned completely, and violation of this rule would not be tolerated. One-window operation would be started to provide services and other facilities, he added.

Addressing a press conference at the Frere Hall, Wahab said that collective thinking is to highlight that this city belongs to everyone. He said that the election phase is now over, so they all have to work beyond politics in the city’s interests.

Time would decide who has power and who used to be without it, he added. He invited the opposition to lend a hand in the improvement and development of the city.

The deputy mayor, and Pakistan Peoples Party leaders Najmi Alam, Qadir Patel and Karamullah Waqasi were also present on the occasion. The mayor said that the roadmap for development is being provided to the residents of Karachi through the media.

He said that there is an intention to work, so residents would very soon see development work happening everywhere. “We’ll make governance better and transparent. The allegation of being unelected is wrong. The election was held legally, and we were elected mayor and deputy mayor after winning the election.”

Wahab said that in the next 10 days, according to the legal procedure, he and the deputy mayor would contest the election from one of the union committees of the city. He said they have to give hope to the people that the local government can solve their problems. He added that he had started cleaning the drains 10 days ago, and that the work would be carried out swiftly.

He also said the KMC would work together with the provincial government to stand on its own feet. He added that the city is facing water shortage, for which various projects are being implemented, while the sewage system is being improved so that roads and footpaths can be saved from overflow. Wahab said developmental work is under way in different areas of the city, adding that better transport facilities would be provided to the people, while the construction and repair of roads and bridges in different areas would be completed rapidly.