City Council Karachi, through a resolution, on Monday approved the allocation of around 25 acres of land in Gaddap Town for cemetery, as the existing graveyards in the city have no more space for burial. While the Sindh Assembly was deciding the fate of local governments system of the province in its session, the City Council also approved a dozen resolutions regarding change of the status of amenity plots, creation of new departments, vacancies, and promotions.
In the most probably last session of the council, which held at Council's hall on Monday with senior presiding officer, Masood Mehmood, in the chair, the house approved 11 resolutions passed unanimously besides a resolution regarding the allotment of 10 acre land to Nazeer Hussain University at Block-4 F.B Area, an educational project, to be executed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQO)-backed Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation, which was opposed by the members from opposition benches.
Soon after the start of the session, both the treasury and opposition members started discussing things in such a manner, which gave the impression that it would be the last session of the house. Interestingly, during the session of the council, opposition members who entered the house with smile in their faces and discussion, stared protest over the introduction of new agenda just before the session, saying they cannot read the agenda properly.
Mehboob Shiekh, an opposition member, said that the resolutions tabled without giving time to the members, was against the rules of the house, as the agenda should be distributed before the session. Opposing the move to approve the allocation of 10 acre land for the university at FB Area, he said that as a piece of land has already been given to Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation at the same location, the millions of rupees worth land, which was reserved for park, should not be given to the foundation.
Mehboob also criticised the city government for the fresh recruitment of over 4,500 and almost 10,000 people in the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) and Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, respectively, and promotions in various cadres, causing a financial crunch to the city government.
Opposition members Jumman Dawran and Ramzan Awan demanded to withhold the resolution, as it was needed further investigation on the part of opposition members. Leader of the house Asif Siddiqui, however, rejected the impression that resolutions could not be tabled during the session, saying that there was no such rule in SLGO 2001.
In the meantime, opposition members staged a walkout, who later rejoined the session on the request of Siddiqui. The Convenor while rejecting the allegations that the promotions were causing financial crisis said that it was a strategy to avoid further recruitment.
He said that the opposition members had supported most of the recruitment in various departments of the government. Through a resolution, passed unanimously, the house approved creation of "Directorate of I Own Karachi" a project announced by City Nazim Mustafa Kamal in August 2007, to cerate sense of ownership among the citizens of this metropolis.
Though another resolution, the house approved the allotment of around 25 acres land in Gaddap Town for graveyard, as the cemeteries at Sakhi Hassan, New Karachi and Muhammad Shah have almost filled. The house passed resolutions regarding the approval of reorganisation of media management department, temporarily adaptation of 6133.33 sqr.
Meter land in Gulistan-e-Johar by a welfare trust for sports purpose, the restoration and implementation of Cottage Industry Zone in Baldia Town, restoration of district officer development maintenance of parks as director parks development and maintenance, the up-gradation and promotion of Imams/Muazzin of mosques at CDGK's offices, reorganisation of Katchiabadi Department (revenue) of city government, increase in the leprosy risk allowances of leprosy hospitals, the allocation of Rs 2,00,000 for maintenance of CNG bus projects and the fixed telephone bills of different directorates and offices of CDGK.
The opposition members, who supported most of the resolutions, staged another walkout against not taking up of a resolution moved by an opposition member for vote by the convenor. Opposition members including Jumman Dawran, Yousuf Naaz, Imran Baghpati, Muhammad Sindhu and Dr Zia criticised Haq Parast led city government for ignoring the city outskirts in development works during its four years tenure.
However, Asif Siddiqui, Arshad Qureshi and Nadeem from the treasury benches, rejected the opposition allegations, saying that the government under the leadership of Mustafa Kamal had completed historic projects like supply lines of water, sewerage lines and construction of roads across the city especially in the city's outskirts. Later, the convenor adjourned the session sine die.