KARACHI: A committee on Sunday has been formed under the supervision of Chief Minister of Sindh Murad Ali Shah to resolve issues of entire province including Karachi.
According to details, the team consisting three members each from both federation and provincial government will discuss strategies for the development of Karachi.
In a statement Sunday, Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab has confirmed that PPP, PTI, and MQM-P leaders formed a consultative committee to resolve Karachi's issues during yesterday's meeting in the port city.
Murtaza Wahab said that the problems of the province can only be overcome by joint efforts of federal and provincial authorities.
Murtaza Wahab said two rounds of talks between the Centre and the Sindh government have taken place. The committee comprises of three representatives each from the federal and provincial governments, he added.
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi, and Minister for Information Technology Ameenul Haq will represent the Centre, while Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, and Education Minister Saeed Ghani will represent the provincial government with Chief Minister of Sindh Murad Ali Shah to head the committee.
Murtaza Wahab said issues facing the metropolis will get resolved once all parties work together, adding the Sindh government has always been ready to work together with other parties for the development of the province.
He said this committee will help accelerate construction work on uplift schemes and ensure their completion on time besides removing hurdles in execution of development schemes in the province.
PPP leader Raza Rabbani Sunday said that Karachi is a part of Sindh and will continue to remain so, adding that the PTI had previously issued a statement as well on separating the city from the province.
Speaking at a press conference after the party's Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting, the former Senate chairman said that these statements from the PTI leadership were not new.
"Ever since the PPP government has been formed [in Sindh] and the PTI came to power, such statements have been issued," he said, adding that the PTI has previously issued statements as well on imposing governor rule in Sindh. "There is nothing new about this," he stressed.
Rabbani, without naming anyone in particular, said that 'some people want to place Karachi under the Centre and seize its revenue'.
Criticising NAB, the PPP leader said that the Supreme Court of Pakistan's judgment in the Khawaja brothers case had exposed the anti-graft body. He said that the Human Rights Watch had also exposed NAB.
Clarifying that the party had not changed its stance on the 18th Amendment, Rabbani said that the party will 'not compromise' on it.
Earlier, Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) had joined hands for the development of Karachi.
The agreement was reached during hours-long meeting of the three stakeholders. An important figure of the Pakistan Army was also present in the meeting.
Asad Umer, Ali Zaidi, Waseem Akhtar, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Saeed Ghani and Nasir Shah attended the meeting.
The leaders of the three main political parties having stakes in Karachi also deliberated on uplift schemes.
They lauded the National Disaster Management Authority's (NDMA) role in cleaning the main nullahs of the city.
The participants expressed concern over the city's abysmal situation and agreed to work together for Karachi's restoration to its former glory, economic progress, and resolution of all its problems.
The development came after Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered National Disaster Management Authority to clean all the drains and nullahs in Karachi, remove encroachments and submit report to it within three months in this regard.-NNI
Karachi Staff Reporter adds: Sindh Minister for Local Government & Information Syed Nasir Shah on Sunday denied the formation of committee between Sindh government and federation for the execution of uplift works in Karachi.
In a statement, he said that in the meeting between Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Federal Minister Asad Umar only to discuss as how to remove bottlenecks to carry out development works in the city.
"As far as formation of a committee for execution of uplift works is concerned, no such decision was taken in the meeting," he said.
Nasir Shah said that in the city of Karachi, apart from provincial agencies various agencies of the federal government such as cantonments, DHA, KPT were operating.
Therefore, various bottlenecks emerge when any scheme or project is initiated, he said and added that was why the chief minister along with his concerned cabinet members held a meeting with federal minister and his team to work out ways and means to remove the bottlenecks," he said.
It may be noted that a meeting between Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and federal Minister Asad Umar was held to discuss bottlenecks cropping up in carrying out development work in the city.
The meeting was attended by Minister Local Government Syed Nasir Shah, Minister Labour Saeed Ghani, Chairman NDMA Lt-General Afzal, Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar and others.
According to the statement of Nasir Shah, there were some other issues such as removal of sludge from storms water drains, dumping of the sludge at landfill sites, removal of encroachment from the nallas, completion of the schemes `left-incomplete' were also discussed.
The Minister Local Government categorically denied constitution of any committee to carry out development works in the city.
"Development of the city is the responsibility of the provincial government which it is doing to its best," he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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