KARACHI, May 4: With less than a week to go for the May 12 bye-elections, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Tuesday presented on record about a billion-rupee development package for the province
, which was being implemented by using the allocations made for the party's legislators.
Parliamentary leader of the party in the National Assembly, Dr Farooq Sattar gave a detailed resume of the work undertaken by the party in various parts of the province.
Flanked by Shamim Siddiqui and Haider Abbas Rizvi, Dr Farooq Sattar claimed that the MQM was working for complete provincial autonomy and strengthening of democratic institutions through empowerment of the deprived people.
He said that a large part of education and health sectors had been devolved to the city district, town and taluka governments during the past three years, adding that they were also responsible for deciding about projects in this regard.
He claimed that owing to this situation, elected Senators, MNA and MPAs could not play any direct role in the socio-economic development of the province. He said various projects, pertaining to health, education and basic civic needs, had been devised and were being implemented.
He said that while selecting these projects the MQM had given priority to areas which had been neglected by district governments owing to their alleged partisanship.
Dr Farooq Sattar also referred to the initiation of various projects by MQM ministers in the annual development programme. They pertained to hospitals, maternity homes, schools and colleges, community centres, mono and polytechnic computer centres.
He also claimed credit for the development work by the Karachi Port Trust and protecting jobs of thousands of employees, inclusion of four new ships in the fleet of the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation and after-tax profit amounting to Rs980 million by the national maritime carrier.
Dr Farooq sattar said that work on Sassi bridge on the National Highway had commenced. He also extended assurances to residents of Martin Quarters, Clayton Quarters, Pakistan Quarters and Jehangir Road would soon get ownership rights as had been promised by the party in 1990.
He pointed out that during 2002-2004, MQM MNAs were provided development funds amounting to Rs85 million which were spent on the construction and repair of 33 big and 77 subsidiary roads.
In the current financial year, Rs180 million had been allocated out of which Rs150 million would be spent on the construction of roads and improvement of sewerage system and provision of water to the neglected people.
Rs30 million would be spent on attending to the problems of the interior of Sindh. He said that Rs85 million allocated for the senators and those elected on reserved seats, had been earmarked for the projects in the interior of Sindh.
Dr Farooq Sattar said that MQM had also proposed some mega projects such as desalination project in the coastal area, 150- bed hospital in the Shah Faisal Colony No 1 at a cost of Rs190 million.
He skipped details of the projects initiated for improvement of power supply in the city as well as in the interior of Sindh, owing to paucity of time. Dr Farooq Sattar accused that the city district government was focusing on decorating traffic intersections and planting trees.
