Young people can help Karachi solve civic issues, says Farooq Sattar

Dr Farooq Sattar, a Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Paksitan’s disgruntled leader, said on Friday that the youth should come forward and join the ongoing campaign for the city's rights.

Sattar, who heads the MQM-Organisation Restoration Committee, a faction led by him, was addressing a conference at his residence in PIB Colony.

He said that Karachi should be given to its youth to govern and it was the only guarantee for the city’s survival.

Sattar said the credit for the development package of Rs1.1 trillion went to Karachi. “When Karachi sank, the city gained the attention of the rulers and the army chief also came to review the situation,” he said.

He said that the lockdown imposed to contain the spread of the COVID-19 and recent floods due to rains had destroyed Karachi financially.

“Thousands of industries have been closed down and tens of thousands of workers have been expelled during the lockdown,” he said.

“It seemed that no one was interested in resolving the civic issues of the mega city,” said Sattar.

Heaps of garbage, the worsening condition of roads, overflowing sewage owing to choked sewerage lines, traffic jams, scarcity of potable water, load-shedding and power breakdowns were key civic issues that the Karachi residents faced on a regular basis, he said.

Sattar said that the MQM-P had been rejected by Karachi residents because of its own blunders and the perception of factionalism had reduced the party’s vote bank in the city.