KARACHI|: Mayor Karachi Wasim Akhtar on Tuesday said that he had been raising voice for empowerment of local bodies for the last four years and that's why authorities concerned are showing seriousness towards issues of the city.

"The people of Karachi and Hyderabad have given Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan mandate and this mandate cannot be suppressed," Akhtar said this while addressing inauguration ceremony of 3D Park in Lines Area UC-10.

Akhtar once again requested the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take up his petition regarding empowerment of local bodies as resolution of issues lies in empowerment of local government system.

Chairman District East Moeed Anwar, Chairman UC-10 Muhammad Mursaleen, Vice Chairman Nadeem Khawaja and other local bodies representatives were also present on the occasion.

He said that there is need to uplift infrastructure of Lines Area and other localities of Karachi.

"This is the right of the children to get healthy environment, parks and playgrounds but unfortunately our children are compelled to play around the drains and hub of garbage," he deplored.

He said that he had been raising voice for the rights of Karachi for last four years and thankfully now the authorities are paying heed to it. "Both Sindh and federal governments now admitted that our concerns for Karachi were right and they started to find mechanism for resolving the issues," he said.

The Mayor also expressed displeasure over provision of contaminated water to Lines Area and said that infrastructure of Lines Area has been destroyed. He asked the federal and provincial governments to resolve issues of the masses. He was of the view that that it is the people who elect Prime Minister, Chief Minister, MNAs, and MPAs but in return they get nothing. There is need to replace sewerage and water lines of the Lines Area.

Akhtar said that the people who are running the country by providing 95 and 65 per cent revenue to Sindh and federation respectively are getting contaminated water. He said that the people of the area voted for the MQM-P which is aimed at resolving their issues.

"We change our policy as per situation and circumstances just to facilitate the people of Karachi, Sindh and Pakistan but we will never compromise on rights of our citizens," he added.

Lambasting the Pakistan Peoples Party, the Mayor said that it was in power for the last 12 years and ruined Sindh particularly Karachi. The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation should be empowered under Article 140-A of the constitution.

"Our vote bank is intact and InshaAllah we will once again win from big margin from Lines Area and all other parts of Karachi and Hyderabad," he added.

Earlier, the Mayor visited newly inaugurated park and appreciated the department concerned for their wonderful efforts.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020