Compulsory uniform in government schools, colleges: City Council opposes Sindh government decision

City Council Karachi, through a resolution passed with majority vote, opposed the waiving of the condition of compulsory uniform for the students of all government schools and colleges, terming it a move which will encourage the class-based differences in the province.
The members from both the treasury and opposition groups welcomed the Supreme Court's decision on the controversial National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO). A general session of the council, which was held at Council's Hall on Thursday with City Naib Nazim, Nasreen Jalil, in the chair, has also approved three other resolutions unanimously while another resolution with majority vote about the sugar crisis demanding action against the hoarders.
The resolution moved by Imran Ahmed Khan from Haq Parast Panel, said that the compulsory uniform in schools and colleges was creating uniformity amongst the students belonging to different social status, but it was badly shattered after the decision of provincial minister for education to dispense with the condition of compulsory uniform.
The resolution was opposed by some members of Al Khidmat Group for the inclusion of a sentence regarding the CDGK-run English Medium Schools in the city. At the outset of the session, leader of the house Asif Siddiqui said that the Supreme Court's decision on NRO was a historic one of the independent judiciary.
Jumman Darwan, deputy parliamentary leader of Awam Dost Panel, on a point of order, said that the judiciary has been empowered to take such an independent decision for the first time in the history of Pakistan. He said that though the leaders and workers of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) had been harassed through politically motivated cases, the ruling party had closed the chapter of political vendetta and vengeance.
Imaran Bakpati of Alkhidmat Panel underlined the need of speedy investigation into the reopened cases, saying the beneficiaries of the ordinance were trying to get protection through different sources. Muhammad Yaqoob, an opposition member, said that those who had spent eight to 10 years in prison without conviction should not be called criminal.
Salman Baloch, a Haq Parast member, informed the house that Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) has started harassing the consumers through increasing or issuing average bills, disconnecting the supply, and other tactics. Demanding the federal and provincial governments to take immediate action against the management of the company, Baloch said that the low-rank employees of the utility had also been fired by the management.
Condemning the demolition operation in two Goths of the city recently, wherein two innocent residents of the area lost their lives while dozens other were injured, Jumman said that Barfat Goth and Haji Mureed Goth were almost 300-year old Goths of the city and the drive against the residents was violation of their basic rights.
He said the move was started by City District Government Karachi for widening the Gujar Nulla. Jumman claimed that the government was widening the Nullah by 30 feet at both side in other areas but on the contrary it was trying to vacate almost 300 feet area in Haji Mureed Goth. "Almost 70 percent of the residents have been forced to vacate the area, which might cause law and order situation if the government did not stop the drive," he added.
However, Masood Mehmood, who is also senior presiding officer, accused Darwan of supporting the land mafia in the respective areas, as the move was against the mafia. An opposition member, Yousuf Naz, criticised Masood's argument, alleging that the government was taking away shelters from the poor people but it was doing nothing against the real land grabbers, which she dubbed as "official land mafia."
When the convenor did not allow opposition members to further discuss the issue, opposition members except those belonging to Al-Khidmat Group stage a walk out from the house in protest. Earlier, the house approved a resolution unanimously to allow Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) to use 3556.44 Sq. meter government land, (Plot: RC-2) at Rinchor Line Quarters.
The house also approved another resolution, demanding the restoration of 134 union council (UC) secretaries. The house allowed the release of advance salaries to all Christian employees of CDGK before December 25, through another resolution passed unanimously. Later, the convenor adjourned the session sine die.