Mayor announces 100-day uplift plan for city

First phase to be launched in three districts on December 1

Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar has announced a 100-day development plan for the city, and it would be effective from December 1.

Addressing a news conference at his office on Tuesday, Akhtar said he had limited authority but unlimited passion. He asked the federal and Sindh governments to help resolve the city’s problems.

The mayor said the first phase of the uplift plan would be launched in the East, Central and Korangi districts, where all measures would be taken to resolve the basic issues – including road repairs, cleaning and street-light installations.

The chairmen of the three districts, who were also present on the occasion, said dispensaries, schools, parks and playgrounds would be built in 15 to 20 union councils.

Akhtar said the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s expenses had been reduced and this money could serve the city, whose revenue has been increasing, adding that Rs15 million were recovered by the parking department in October and the revenue had increased this month to Rs40 million.

The mayor said peace was the key to development and a developed Karachi would leave a positive impact on the entire country.

He appealed to non-governmental organisations and the wealthy to help them in development works for the city. He reiterated that he would meet the leaders of all the religious and political parties of the city as well as their elected council members to seek their support.

He stressed that the local government was a nursery of democracy, and advised against making efforts to evade democracy through undemocratic manners. He lamented that all over the world, the local government’s powers are transferred at the grassroots level, but here the powers are handed over to other authorities. He said Amin-ul-Haq would now look after all the media affairs and development work of the city along with all the chairmen.

Khwaja Izhar-ul-Hassan said every developed country has a strong local government system, which gives priority to resolving civic issues, adding that despite having hefty funds the Sindh government was unable to clean the city. He said his party was repeatedly raising voice in the Sindh Assembly for more powers for the local government.