Karachi is the biggest cosmopolitan city of Pakistan where exists a vast area of Gulistan-e-Jauhar, famous hub of vertical population of about 2 millions citizens living in thousands of high-rise residential flats in addition to numerous horizontal bungalows, occupied by the elite peoples from all walks of life.
Unfortunately, the residents of this area are being deprived of the basic civic amenities, ie proper roads, streets, service lanes, drainage, sewerage, water, green parks, removal of encroachments, watering of plants, garbage lifting, cleaning, road lights, bus stops, traffic signals, posting of traffic cops, public toilets etc.
This area is partly administered by the Cantonment Board Faisal (CBF) and Cantonment Board Malir (CBM) and partly controlled by the City District Government of Karachi (CDGK) for collection of different taxes from the residents, while the services in return, specially from CBF/CBM are poor, disappointing and unsatisfactory.
As a result of mismanagement, poor planning, dictatorial attitude, negligence, ignorance and, above all, the lack of interest of the Cantonment Board Faisal and Cantonment Board Malir and shifting responsibility in looking after the services of civilian residents, the living conditions are full of difficulties. CBF/CMB practically take care of only sectors/colonies under use and occupation of defence personnel exclusively.
Neither the concerned Cantonment Executive Officer nor any official in higher management of Military Lands and Cantonments (ML&C) bothers to listen to the woes of the civilian occupants, who pay heavy sums in the form of taxes. The apparent conditions indicate beyond any doubt that huge amount of tax paid by civilian residents is spent on the services and maintenance of areas under residency of the defense personnel, who on contrary, are exempted from tax payment at the cost of civilian residents.
Very ironically, the CBF and CBM, Karachi are denying and depriving civilian residents of basic civic amenities, services and maintenance, out of tax paid by civilian residents, and using civilians as their tool of earning, for the purpose of serving the cantonment areas under use and occupancy of defense personnel only.
It is heartening to see the City District Government of Karachi (CDGK) is currently laying underground network of sewerage and water lines and also constructing main roads, streets, footpaths, traffic islands and service streets; part of which was supposed to be done by the Cantonment Board Faisal and Cantonment Board Malir, but neglected over the years, causing inconvenience to tax paying citizens.
In view of the above facts, negligence of CBF/CBM and the concern of CDGK in public services, it is advisable in larger public interest that the portfolios of Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Karachi, presently in charge of the Cantonment Board Faisal (CBF) as well as Cantonment Board Malir (CMB) Karachi should be given to the City District Government of Karachi (CDGK) for better public services without any discrimination.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan is requested to kindly take suo moto notice of the matter and direct the concerned authorities of the Military Lands and Cantonments and Sindh Province to transfer the administrative control of Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Karachi from the Cantonment Board Faisal and Cantonment Board Malir to City District Government of Karachi, in the greater public interest.
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