Passing a unanimous resolution on Tuesday, City Council expressed serious reservations over the sky-high price of wheat flour in the metropolis. It has also demanded to take action against the profiteers and fix the flour price according to the government rate.
In another resolution passed by a majority vote the house also condemned the flogging of innocent girl in Swat asked the government to take stern action against the culprits and people who were involved in the incident. While the members in the opposition benches did not support the resolution, as they wanted to wait until the facts are come out regarding the incident.
Another two out of five resolutions were also passed by majority vote in the city legislature, as a general session of which was held at City Council Hall at Old KMC Building with Naib Nazim Nasrin Jalil in the chair. These resolutions were related to commercialisation of plots like plot number ST-1, block 16, scheme-16 at Gulistan-e-Johar and plot number ST.2-A/3 (Part-1, block-9 scheme-16 at FB Area.
A unanimous resolution was also passed by the house expressing its reservation over the recent 20 percent decrease in the funds of Jinnah Hospital and asked the federal government to not only get back the decision, but also increase the hospital's funds. Pointing the issue of current increase of over Rs 45 per 10 kg of wheat flour in the city, Salman Mujahid of the ruling party said that it should immediately be taken back as it was a burden over the poverty stricken masses.
Arguing on the matter the opposition leader, Saeed Ghani of Awam Dost Panel, said, though the increase in the price of kitchen items was not a positive step but while demanding the cut in price, the house should also consider the farmers who were encouraged by the current hike in price.
Contending the point Asif Siddiqui, leader of the house said that the increase of Rs 4 per kg of essential commodities, like flour in the city market was also affecting a Roti (bread). He said until the country's borders were not sealed the smuggling of flours would not possible, resultantly creating shortage in the market.
Yousuf Naaz, from opposition, also suggested increasing in subsidiary amount of flour to maintain the price to an affordable level. He also welcomed the decision of Sindh Government to introduce the Roti Scheme in the province to make it available at lower price at every Tandoor.
Shahjahan Baloch told the house that while a number of residential plots had turned into multi-storey in his UC without any proper planning or consulting to the concerned authorities during the last couple of years, an immediate action in this regard was needed.
Juman Darwan, another UC nazim from the opposition benches informed the house that his UC had not received Rs 35.6 million, claimed by the City Government for investing in the UC so far. He said that most of the water and sewerage lines in the area were leaked, mixing the fresh and sewerage water.
Replying to the point of Darwan, the convenor of the house decided to form a committee to discuss the issue in detail. The house also witnessed uproar over the commercialisation of two plots through the council's resolutions as most of the opposition members stood to stop the practice of commercialising each plot by the house. Ghani came up with the argument that the City Government had only approved the commercialisation of only 22 roads and the change of status of no other plots or lands were permitted according to the rule.
Asif Siddiqui argued that the matter could not be presented before the committee of Master Plan Group of Offices of City District Government Karachi, it was tabled in the house for approval. He said while the surrounding areas of the plots were already commercialised it was, logically true to allow the owners of plots to change the lands' status. Later, the convenor adjourned the session for an indefinite period.
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