The protesting contractors have declared to stop all development and maintenance work across the metropolis, as the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) has failed to pay their years-old outstanding bills worth around Rs 740 million.
The contractors, who are yet to receive cash for their bills for undertaking civil works, like sewerage, water, road carpeting, CC flooring, electric, parks' maintenance etc in 178 union councils (UCs) of the city, have appealed to the federal and provincial governments to release funds to the defaulting city government.
"We have decided not to undertake any development or maintenance work in the city until the city government pays our dues," Hashim Khan Babar, one of the 130 members of City Contractor Action Committee (CCAC) told Business Recorder outside the City Council Hall on Thursday.
He said CCAC has taken this decision after holding "fruitless" negotiations with District Co-ordination Officer Karachi at Camp Office on September 16, 2008. Dozens of contractors, carrying banners and placards that read "Hame Hamara Haq do" (give us our right) protested at Old KMC Building where a general session of City Council was held with Naib Nazim Nasrin Jalil in the chair.
The protesters, led by Abdul Salam and Hashim Khan Babar, demanded the high-ups in Islamabad and Sindh government to consider their issue urgently and ensure that the contractors get their just rights. "While some of the contractors have got 50 percent payment, there are others who got nothing," said Abdul Salam, a contractor form Orangi Town.
CDGK was justifying a delay in the two-year old payments by saying that it was not receiving enough funds from the provincial government to pay for the contractors' dues, Babar said. Abdul Salam said UCs administered by both Haq Parast Group dominated treasury and Awam Dost Panel-led opposition, had defaulted on the contractors' bills.
Another contractor from North Nazimabad, Bacha Mohammad Hayat, however, came with a different view and said the Haq Parasts-led city government was making payments on the basis of ethnic background.
He claimed that the contractors having an Urdu speaking background and those who had come up with the recommendations of ministers had received their money long ago. Babar, however, contradicted Hayat's allegations and said there was no such thing as mentioned by his elderly colleague.
He said the CCAC has decided to continue its protest till the government makes full payment to the contractors. Babar said a meeting of the Supreme Council would announce contractors' decision on strike soon.