Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Karachi Chapter, on Saturday sought emergency to scale back the growing untidiness that plagued the city in the wake of first monsoon rainy spells. Speaking at a press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq, Chief of JI Karachi, Engr Naeem-ur-Rehman asked the Sindh government to place emergency across the metropolis to help the city restore clean environment as rainwater flood the roads and streets with boiling sewerage lines.
Karachi is undergoing its 'worst' destructive phase, he said, adding that water and sewerage system has completely collapsed. He slammed the government for its irresponsiveness to cope with the challenges of rains. "The first spill of rain in the city has unveiled the reality behind the towering claims of the provincial government".
He said that Karachi shows a bad example of governance, adding that the 'miserable' situation of roads caused the public to suffer. He said the city needs even a fumigation drive following the rains to eliminate pests or other creatures posing threats to human lives. "Fumigation and cleanliness drive is essential to avoid outbreak of diseases," Hafiz Naeem demanded.
Despite allocation of Rs 830 million to carry out cleanliness of rainstorm drains of the city but nothing has been done to help streamline the chocked sewerage streams, he said, doubting the funds were misappropriated. He questioned the spending.
He said that the K4 project that aims to supply 260MGD water to Karachi has been pending since 2006 because of 'inability' of provincial and local governments. Resultantly, he said, the public suffers a chronic water shortage that also gave a boost to the tanker mafia business with soaring rates.
JI Karachi Chief asked the government to spare some attention to rebuilding of the rundown roads and streets infrastructure that is in tatters for over a decade. He also criticized the K-Electric for long-hours power cuts to the citizens. He said that the provincial and local governments should stop playing the blame game and take visible steps to help restore daily life in the city.