With the Mayor presiding over his maiden proceedings, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Council on Thursday chose Karamullah Waqasi as opposition leader with a unanimous vote to keep a check on the civic department's works. Interestingly, after adoption of some resolutions, Waseem Akhtar adjourned the session when a member from Landhi congratulated him on behalf of MQM's founder Altaf Hussain.
Aman Afridi of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) proposed and Muhammad Junaid Maikati from Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) seconded the resolution to elect Waqasi as opposition leader. As the Waseem Akhtar entered the council to preside over the session for the first time during his current tenure, the council members including those on the opposition benches stood up and accorded a warm welcome to him amid pro- mayor slogans. The Deputy Mayor Dr Arshad Vohra who presided over the previous two sessions was also present.
The council members representing different political parties including Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI), JI, Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) Awami National Party (ANP) and others extended congratulations to Waseem Akhtar on his first appearance to preside over the session. They also felicitated PPP's group leader Karamullah Waqasi for being nominated as the KMC council's leader of the opposition.
They also vowed to cooperate and work side by side with the mayor for the betterment of Karachi. In his speech, Waqasi urged the KMC leadership to exercise its existing powers to uplift the metropolis diligently. "We have to develop a transparent mechanism within the civic body and shoulder out responsibilities honestly and dedicatedly, and then we should fight for the rights," he urged citing that the KMC was demanding disbursement of funds and transfer of powers from the Sindh Government who was questioning about utilisation grants.
He said that it cast doubts whether the funds would be spent only on staff salaries or it would be disbursed on the development projects as well. "I am not quite sure about the authenticity but there are information that when former City Nazim Naimatullah Khan left the Council in 2005, there were around 13,000 employees in KMC, but within the next 12 years, the employees' figure went up to some 30,000," he said, pointing that hardly 1000 workforce was presently available while the rest disappeared for the reasons best known to the relevant authorities.
He urged the Mayor to introduce biometric system to ensure presence of all employees on their duties and develop system to evaluate their performances. He also proposed to Akhtar that he must find out reasons behind slow recovery ratio of the taxes. The council also adopted a resolution with majority votes for an immediate restoration of cellular and internet service in the localities around the Karachi Central Jail. It may be mentioned here that the government has installed jammers due to security reasons. Syed Kausar Shah proposed and Rahat Hussain Siddiqui seconded it.
With the majority votes, the Council also adopted a resolution against construction of new high-rise buildings which the local bodies' representatives believe would damage the city's infrastructure and utility service. Abdul Salam Khan, chairman UC-22 District East and Syed Farhan Khan Chairman UC-25 District West proposed and seconded it, respectively.
MQM's representative from Landhi, Muhammad Farooq, stood from his seat and conveyed his party's founding leader Altaf Hussain's congratulation message to the city mayor which prompted Waseem Akhtar to adjourn the council session till January 24, 2017.
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