Deputy Mayor Karachi Dr Arshad Vohra on Wednesday expressed reservations on Sindh Government's decision of seizing accounts of all local councils. The civic body would not be able to pay salaries and pensions to its employees as long as the government does not review its decision, he added. He said non-release of payments would also create financial constraints to KMC employees belonging to the Hindu community ahead of their Diwali festival.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Sindh Finance Department through a letter on October 24 has asked Director (Accounts) State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), President Sindh Bank Limited and, Vice President National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) to freeze the accounts of KMC, DMCs, district councils, Municipal Town committees and Union Administrations in Sindh with immediate effect.
Vohra also feared that work on the under construction development projects would get delayed and the city's health and cleanliness condition would further deteriorate due to financial crisis. "The Sindh government should explain and identify that what are those factors behind this abrupt decision to freeze the funds of local councils," he said in a statement.
He urged Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah to intervene in the very issue to save the situation form further deterioration. Criticizing the government's fresh move, All Pakistan Local Government Workers Federation President Syed Zulfiqar Shah said the Sindh Government, instead of facilitating the Civic body employees, was bent upon harassing them with various arbitrary tactics. "Some 10,000 KMC staff and some 7000 pensioners would face financial issues during their Diwali festival," he said.