Mayor critical of both federal and Sindh govts for neglecting Karachi

Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar has appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan to implement the Article 140 of the constitution in its letter and spirit, which stipulates the devolution of necessary financial and administrative powers to the local governments in the country.

He made the appeal while talking to The News on Sunday morning. He said despite repeated reminders, the federal and provincial governments were not prepared to take any step for the development of Karachi, the city which generated the highest revenue for the country.

He also disclosed that Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui had decided to resign as federal minister and he would address a press conference in this regard later in the day.

The mayor explained that his party, the MQM-P, had joined the coalition led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the federal government just for the sake of development of Karachi. He said despite the MQM-P convener’s decision to resign from the federal cabinet, the party would not topple the government or support any step that could derail democracy in the country.

He was critical of both the federal and Sindh governments for the sorry state of affairs in Karachi. He said although Karachi was a mega city, yet it had not transport system. He also deplored the power and gas crisis in the city and its dilapidated sewerage infrastructure.

The mayor said whenever the demand was made of the federal and Sindh governments to provide funds for Karachi’s development, they only made promises that never turned into reality. By just giving verbal assurances, the two governments had ruined the city, he remarked.

He said it was a high time that people from all the walks of life, including engineers, doctors and teachers, collectively raised concern for Karachi to press the Centre and the Sindh government to take concrete steps for the development of the city.

Akhtar also commented on the rising poverty leading to frequent suicides, calling it an alarming situation. He also cited unemployment as a major factor that had resulted in the rise in crimes in Karachi and said the federal and provincial government were least bothered about the increasing crime rate and unemployment.

He also lamented the continuous release of a large amount of pollutants into the sea resulting in environmental pollution and added that due to this people of Karachi had become prone to various dreadful diseases.