Thousands of people from a cross section of the society thronged Civic Centre on the Independence Day to get "City Owners" cards as registered volunteers. City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal was the first to get this card followed by the District Co-ordination Officer (DCO) Javed Hanif while getting in a queue with other aspirants.
Naib Nazim, town nazims, councillors, leading industrialists and businessmen, office-bearers and members of Pakistan Art Council, senior police officials, vice chancellor Baqai University, sportsman and Olympians, artists, performers and entertainers, youth, workers, pushcard vendors, taxi drivers, Pesh Imams of mosques also get registration as city volunteers and obtained their membership cards from CDGK.
Nazim Karachi personally interviewed the candidates, inquiring about the area of interest. More than 4,000 temporary city owners cards were issued to people by 6 O'clock as enthusiastic volunteers were still standing in a long queue. Permanent cards will be issued after assessing the performance of the registered volunteers in next three months.
"I am moved to see such an enthusiasm of the people of cross section of the society. This has encouraged us. This is a clear evidence of the fact that the people still have the spirit of feeling responsibility and doing service. We cannot give a gift better than this (city owners card) to the people on the Independence Day", said Mustafa Kamal while talking to media after receiving his membership card.
The City Nazim noted that the people have overwhelmingly responded to his appeal and without any proper publicity, they have flocked Civic Centre and lined up in long queues to get registered as city volunteers.
He said the city government has built the infrastructure facilities, including flyovers, roads in the metropolis, planted trees, developed parks, and laid sewerage system.
He said that these cards are issued to every citizen irrespective of his affiliation, whether he is rich or poor, minister or nazim, industrialist or worker, shopkeeper or thella wala (vendor), provided he is willing to look after the assets of the metropolis as its owner. "No city or country can be run without citizen's ownership", he noted.