President appeals to all to ensure cleanliness in city

The government is committed to the utmost to clean the garbage in Karachi. President Dr. Arif Alvi said this on Saturday while addressing a ceremony held in Korangi to launch the Karachi Clean and Green Initiative of Prime Minister.

“We have resolved to clean the mess in Karachi,” Dr. Alvi said. “It is the message of our Prophet (PBUH) that cleanliness is half the faith. Physical and spiritual cleanliness is a must for every person,” he asserted, adding that garbage should be dumped at the designated dumping sites only and it should not be disposed of on roads.

Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar was also present on the occasion. The president said he had himself invited the mayor to attend the event.

Dr. Alvi also planted a tree sapling with children. “Citizens should plant trees and avoid disposing of garbage everywhere,” he said. “There is no disgrace at all if you sweep outside your home for someone else.”

The president also promised residents of the area that he will try to resolve the issue of water shortage in the locality.

The mayor also spoke on the occasion. He said Karachi has been facing several basic issues. He also assured the participants that sports competitions would soon be organised in the city.

Later talking to media personnel, the mayor said the Sindh government should seriously investigate the 2009 Ashura tragedy in which multiple people were killed in an explosion.

Discussing the recent allegations levelled by disgruntled Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Dr. Farooq Satter, Akhtar said the entire MQM-P was currently busy in the by-elections and the party would talk to Dr Sattar after the by-polls. “At the moment, we are trying to secure back the seats that were snatched from us,” the mayor said.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail has said all the citizens must ensure cleanliness outside their homes. If we only clean our houses and throw garbage outside openly, the dream of a clean and green Pakistan cannot be realised, he said.

He said people of Karachi owned the entire city along with its beaches and they needed to collectively take care of it. The governor also asked people who visited Karachi to ensure cleanliness.

Ismail said Prime Minister Imran Khan was very keen to see Sindh catch up with other parts of the county in terms of development as it had been left far behind. He added that the prime minister had announced various projects for Karachi, the economic hub of the country, to bring it back to its past glory.

BRTS meeting

The president also chaired a meeting on Saturday on Green Line Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS).

The Green Line BRTS is an important project for Karachi and it should he made operational as soon on possible, the president said.

The meeting discussed the constitution of a task force for the city to effectively monitor the federally funded development projects. Minister of State for Communications Murad Saeed assured the meeting that the communication ministry will provide every possible assistance to complete such projects. The meeting participants also deliberated over making operational the completed portion of Green Line project from Surjani Town to Gurumandir at the earliest.

The meeting was also attended by Opposition Leader in the Sindh Assembly Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sindh MPA Khurrum Sher Zaman, PTI leader Samar Ali Khan, Federal Communication Secretary Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, National Highway Authority Chairman Jawad Rafiq Malik, Karachi Commissioner Sualeh Ahmed Farooqui, Principal Secretary to Governor Khaqan Murtaza and others.