A pandemonium struck the City Council session on Thursday, as the opposition censured Mayor for razing a mosque during an anti-encroachment operation at the Hill Park, last week. With the Mayor Waseem Akhtar in chair, the Council's session began peacefully with the recitation of Holy Quran.
In the meantime Jamaat-e-Islami's parliamentary leader Junaid Mukaty stood from his seat wishing to have his view over demolition of the Hill Park's Mosque; however, the Mayor advised him to sit down and let him to continue the proceedings as per agenda. He said the issue of Mosque had already been resolved after negotiations with stakeholders.
On this Junaid insisted and addressed the members that the mosque was razed to the ground on directives of the Mayor. He demanded an immediate suspension of officials involved in the drive. The situation turned ugly when some of the opposition and treasury members scuffled after heated arguments. This untoward incident prompted the security staff to intervene to bring the situation to normality.
The council session resumed and adopted as many as 15 resolutions regarding entrance fee of Karachi Zoological Garden and Safari Park, cleanliness of KMC head office, uniforms of Fire Brigade officials, sound system for Media Management Department etc.
Council adopted a resolution with a majority vote that appreciated KMC for its commitment to reconstruct the mosque and to seek reply from the concerned department officials for razing it. It was tabled by JUI-F's Syed Akbar Shah Hashmi. The resolution informed the house that the Mayor himself visited location and released orders to rebuild it to its original shape.
Later, talking to media the Mayor alleged that some unconcerned people barged into the council hall with an intention to harm him. An FIR will be registered against them after their identifications are ascertained. The Metropolitan Commissioner is conducting an inquiry over the issue. "They were highly trained as they reached to my podium. They might have been invited by those (among council members) who deliberately caused anarchy in the floor."
The opposition instead of debating on the genuine issues of the metropolis such as water, sanitation, healthcare, education and infrastructure is indulged in the politics of hatred and blame game, Waseem said.
"The mosque issue has been resolved. I personally visited the location and met with the concerned people including JUI-F Provincial Vice Emir Qari Muhammad Osman." Waseem alleged that Junaid wanted to spoil the peaceful environment of the council.
He said the civic organizations are implementing the top Court's orders and the action against encroachments is being taken impartially which is being carried out jointly by the KMC, district administration, Rangers, police, district municipal administration, cantonment boards, Sindh Solid Waste Management Board etc. Council's Parliamentary Leader Alam Shah Afredi of MQM, Akbar Hashmi of JUI-F, Opposition leader Karamullah Waqasi and JI's Junaid Mukaty spoke to the session.
On January 18, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) razed to the ground over 50 hotels restaurants and shops that were 'illegally' built around the Hill Park. The officials said illegal constructions were carried out on a 20 acres area of land over the period time and were being used for commercial purposes.