Zaidi demands resignation from Saeed Ghani for post rains fiasco in Karachi

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi on Wednesday demanded resignation of Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani for his failure to manage the cleanliness of storm drainages resulting in flooding of roads and low lying areas of Karachi.

Addressing a press conference here along with Pakistan Tahreek e Insaf MNA Alamgir Khan, the minister said despite issuing early warnings regarding heavy rains in the city by the Meteorological Department, the Sindh government did not prepare a plan to cope with the situation arising out of the heavy down pours.

The heavy rains exposed the inefficiency of the provincial departments, he added.

Replying to an appeal made by the Karachi Mayor to the federal government for providing assistance to drain rain water from the city, he said the government was all set to remove trash from the city.

“Inshallah with the help of citizens we will make Karachi free of trash in next two weeks,” he maintained.

He announced to present the plan for trash handling in the Karachi city by tomorrow.

While making a visual presentation on the choked storm drainage of the city, he said Karachi only received 50 millimeter rain which was not huge but despite that the city managers ruling the city for 11 years, were unable to drain the rainwater.

He said badly blocked storm drains that empty water in the sea, had also affected the business of fishermen as they could not catch fish due to floating garbage in the sea.

The flooded water also drowned the Asia’s biggest cattle market and affected  sacrificial animals and heightened danger of spread of diseases in the city.

Karachi Port was also affected with this trash as no international vessel was ready to berth over there, he added.

Answering a query Zaidi said, the FIR against the persons responsible for casualties during the rain would be lodged after consultation with the Law Ministry.