KARACHI, Dec 2: The City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, presided over a meeting here on Monday to review the City Government‘s ongoing anti-beggary campaign and appreciated the steps taken to curb the menace. He also issued directives to make the campaign a success.
The meeting was attended by the DCO, Shafiqur Rehman Paracha, Col Ehtisham, officers from various other departments and some prominent citizens.
The Nazim told the meeting that the main objective of the campaign was to create an awareness among people on the adverse effects of beggary. He said that people should refrain from giving alms to the professional beggars. Instead, he said, their alms and donations must reach the really deserving destitute.
He dispelled the impression that detaining beggars was the aim of the campaign. Rather, he clarified, it was the responsibility of police to restrict their movement so as to prevent them from creating nuisance everywhere in the city.
Naimatullah Khan called for a permanent annihilation of beggary for which cooperation by police, Towns representatives, NGOs and people at large was a must.
He also urged the religious scholars to highlight the evil of beggary in their Friday congregations so that people could understand the social problem and correct their views on helping the destitute.
The City Nazim directed all the Town Nazimeen to carry forward the campaign effectively in their respective areas. He advised them to depute a good number of teams at mosques and Eid-prayer grounds to check the menace so as to rid the people of unnecessary nuisance and trouble.
FISH EMPORIUM: A committee has been formed to deliberate upon the repair or reconstruction of the Fish Emporium, located in Clifton, and put forward its report within 15 days to the City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, for a final decision.
The City Nazim formed the committee after visiting the emporium on Sunday. The emporium is lying closed for the last three years. He was informed by the concerned officials that the building, housing the emporium, was established in 1963 and six of its pillars had been dilapidated.
The consultant team, engaged in its repair, has maintained that an amount of Rs70 million would be required for the repair work. The reconstruction work would cost Rs120 million, it said.
The City Nazim stressed the need for a comprehensive plan before initiating the project for a lasting and standard construction of the building.—PPI/APP
