Mayor Karachi Wasim Akhtar Thursday asked all political parties to jointly work for the progress of people in current circumstances.
Reviewing ration distribution at doorstep by All City Tajir Association, Akhtar also asked welfare organisations to adopt organised proper mechanism for ration distribution and provide ration to people at their doorsteps rather than distributing at roads. "This would help us to provide ration to the needy people," he added.
Senior Director Coordination Masood Alam, All City Tajir Association head Khawaja Jamal Sethi, Chairman Hakeem Shah, Tahir Sarbazi representing Green Timber Market, Hyderi Market President Faraz Ahmed, Shoaib Baloch representing Lee Market, Jeweller Market Kharadar President Muhammad Shakir and Farooq Qaimkhani representing Karachi Youth Association and other traders' leaders were also present on the occasion.
He said that business community had always come forward whenever the country was faced with crisis as the government cannot overcome the situation alone. "Traders, industrialists and investors should help the needy people in this difficult time."
He also asked the welfare organisations to collect CNIC numbers of families while distributing rations and share the same with Karachi Metropolitan Corporation so that a family cannot be given rations twice within short span of time. Through this process we would be able to provide essential commodities to more families.
"Through some reports, it has been established that a mafia is collecting most of the ration and selling the same in the market but now the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation is collecting data at UC level and will distribute ration through that data," the Mayor added.
He said that the residents and business community of the port city are playing their role, adding that the Karachiites were also seen helping the effectees of earthquake in the past. Akhtar said that we have to help the people irrespective of their religion, cast and creed.
The Mayor said that the local bodies' representatives should be tasked for ration distribution as they are well aware of the needy people in their areas. He added that Khidmat e Khalq Foundation is going to distribute ration from the next week, adding that they have 12,000 wheat bags but it was not enough keeping in view demand of the city. The KMC would ensure that the ration is provided to the needy people only.
He said that besides essential commodities, there was also a need of medical equipments and asked the philanthropists to cooperate in this regard as well. He once again appealed to the philanthropists to come forward and help the needy people to overcome the current crisis.
All City Tajir Association President Hakeem Shah said that cooked food would be provided from Friday to give some sort of relief to the people.
Meanwhile, Akhtar said that the staffers of five graveyards - of the city where people who die of coronavirus would be buried - have been provided facemask and preventive kits and all the people would perform their duties after adopting precautionary measures.
He directed all the staffers to wear precautionary kit while burying the person who die of coronavirus. He added that funerals are to continue as per routine in all graveyards but only limited people are allowed to attend the funeral of a person dying of coronavirus. The Mayor also asked the people to cooperate with the graveyard administration as all measures are being taken for welfare of the people.