If ECP wants Sindh ready to hold local bodies polls in February: Wahab

KARACHI: Administrator Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Wednesday announced that if the Election Commission wants, the provincial government is ready to hold local bodies elections in February.

“We want local bodies elections in Karachi after delimitation through proper census but if the Election Commission wants, the Sindh government is ready to hold local bodies elections in February and March,” he said. He said receiving municipal utility charges of Rs200 per month from three million customers of K-Electric will generate Rs60 million per month and Rs7.2 billion per annum for KMC. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Wahab said he has come to KMC for a short period and will try to create a system so that the next mayor will not have any problems.

The administrator said if the institution is not financially stable, it cannot provide services to citizens. He said the KMC has set a target for the heads of revenue collection departments to improve their performance by September 30, otherwise action will be taken.

He said four important projects costing Rs300 million have been tendered in Karachi and work on them will start in the next few days. Wahab said the real issue to be decided was whether the mayor did not have powers or these powers were not exercised.

“I have agreed in the Election Commission to hold the local bodies elections in Sindh in February or March." He said the work done in the early days after assuming the charge of administrator included activating the Zulfikarabad Oil Tankers Terminal.

The administrator said data of 8,000 shops located in the markets of KMC have been fully computerised and all details will be released on the website next week. He said the appointment of administrators in the District Municipal Corporations has been made in consultation with them and all aspects in this regard have been reviewed. He said that the inclusion of municipal utility bill in K-Electric's bills would help the KMC to stand on its own feet.