The City Council through a resolution on Thursday allowed the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) to use an amenity plot in Clifton for the commercial purposes.
The opposition asked the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) backed treasury to part ways with Pakistan People's Party (PPP) in Sindh province after the latter strongly criticised the Sindh government for cutting the octroi zilla tax (OZT) funds.
The City Council general session, which was held in City Council Hall, Old KMC Building with Naib Nazim Nasrin Jalil as its convenor in a rare congenial climate, after a short debate permitted the CDGK to use a plot measuring around 2.5 acres in Block-2, Scheme-5, Clifton for the construction of a five-star hotel and other commercial purposes.
The Haq Parast dominated house also offered "Fateha" for the victims of bombing in Karachi on July 7, in Islamabad on July 3, building collapse in Baldia Town on July 6 and other departed souls after as many as six condolence resolutions were tabled from two divides of the house.
While the treasury members throughout the house's proceedings kept demanding the federal and provincial governments to withdraw the reduction in OZT funds, the PPP backed Awam Dost Panel led opposition defended the two under fire by contending that had the CDGK paid them the long-withheld union council funds there would have been no such problem at all.
Treasury members including Arshad Qureshi, Salman Baloch and others lashed out at the central and provincial governments for the tax cut claiming that an organised conspiracy was being hatched against the CDGK for proving it to be what they said a failure.
In reply, Fazl-ur-Rehman backed by Dilawar Shah from opposition benches wondered that the Haq Parast members were criticising the Sindh government, of which the MQM, their political supporter, was also a part.
"Leave the PPP and Sindh government if you can not run your business according to your wishes," he asked the MQM backed treasury.
Leader of the House Asif Siddiqui drew attention of the house towards a wrong announcement of Rs13 raise in CNG prices, which he said had allowed the CNG stations to make billions of rupees within few days by overcharging the consumers.
Shamim Mumtaz Wasi of Awam Dost Panel countered him by saying that according to the economic experts, bringing economic stability by any government needed at least 14 months time. "The new government should be given 14 months to stabilise the economy," she added.
Earlier, the convenor also formed a five-member committee comprising Ramzan Awan, Yousaf Naz from opposition and Dr Nighat Shakil, Abdul Sami and Mirza Sajid Baig from treasury benches to look into an alleged bad condition of Eye Spencer Hospital of Lyari Town. Later, the naib nazim adjourned the session till July 14 at 4:30 pm.