Elected mayor to carry out long-term projects: Wahab

Karachi Administrator Barrister Murtaza Wahab said on Friday development projects were underway in the city and now the authorities were working instead of seeking for powers.

“The elected mayor will carry out long-term uplift projects. I have been made an administrator for a short period of time so I am carrying out short-term and immediate work. The master plan and policy of the city will be prepared by the next elected mayor and council,” he said while inaugurating the three-day Marigold Festival at the Karachi Zoo.

PPP leaders Taimur Mir, Aftab Jakhrani, Moazzam Qureshi, Director General Parks Junaidullah Khan, Senior Director Recreation Mansoor Qazi and other officials were also present on the occasion. “In the past, Karachi was not a city of flowers, but now we are decorating it with flowers.”

The administrator said thousands of people came to witness the flower show at the historical Mughal Garden, and the doors of Mughal Garden would remain open to the public till Sunday for the festival.

Wahab said they wanted to decorate the entire city with flowers. He added that the purpose of the festival at the Karachi Zoo was to hold a display of flowers for nearby areas. He said that the process of construction and development in the city was in full swing.

Barrister Wahab, who also acts as a spokesman for the Sindh government, said various roads would be constructed in the Central and West districts. He said that Iqbal Park in Federal B Area was being built on the pattern of Jehangir Park. “Road from Machli Chowk to Canopy is being constructed at a cost of Rs800 million. A fish aquarium is also being rebuilt in Bagh Ibne Qasim.”

The administrator said that the street lights of Mai Kolachi Road from Schon Circle were being reinstalled, adding that expansion joints of all bridges in Karachi were being replaced and repaired.

He said that the reconstruction of Korangi’s 14000 Road and other projects had been started, and the drainage system of the roads constructed in the last five years had been reinstalled.

Barrister Wahab said various organisations and corporate companies should come and organise their programmes in the historical Mughal Garden so that they could benefit from the facility. He added that it would also increase the revenue of the zoo. He said that Gutter Baghicha covers an area of 1,016 acres and 162 acres of land have been allotted for the park. Recently, he noted, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has cancelled the land of KMC Officers Housing Society where we will plant trees and turn it into a beautiful park.

Replying to a question, he said the KMC hospitals had been handed over to the Sindh government, not to the Pakistan Peoples Party. “Abbasi Shaheed Hospital was built by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and we are going to improve it. The hospital was run in the wrong way, which is why it has been ruined,” he added.

Wahab said a letter had been written to the administration of the Askari Park to take over its possession, adding the KMC would get possession of the park soon.

He stated that the Karachi Zoo is cheapest zoo in Pakistan, where the entrance fee is 15 rupees for children and 30 rupees for adults. “The purpose is to provide relief to the citizens. In a month, Rs10 million has been collected from the zoo, which will be spent on maintenance and development of the zoo.”

He said Karachi Zoo Senior Director Mansoor Qazi and his team were working with utmost honesty and dedication. The zoo was a great place of entertainment for the citizens, more animals would be brought to the zoo, and it would be further improved.

He said that earlier the Marigold Festival held at the Frere Hall was liked and attended by millions of citizens, which was a proof that the citizens of Karachi wanted to participate more in such healthy activities.