KARACHI: Formation of new body criticized - Charged parking
KARACHI, Aug 25: The Al-Khadim Group in city council took strong exception to the refusal of City Nazim Naimatullah Khan to abolish charged parking system, which was demanded by the city council through a resolution passed a few days back.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Al-Khadim Group Chairman Mohammad Siddique Rathore criticized the decision of city government to form a committee about the charged parking issue when the resolution was already passed by the city council.
"The resolution does not envisage formation of any committee," he said and termed it an insult to city council members. He said that the function of city government was not just limited to collection of revenue but provision of basic facilities to citizens was also the responsibility of city government.
He further said that the parking contracts were awarded without taking city council into confidence, which gave free hand to contractor to charge parking fee other than those fixed by the city government.
"Just to achieve the target of Rs60 million collection, the whole city is made hostage at the hands of a few elements, he observed. About the expected reduction in city government's revenue by abolishing this system, he said that funds were being provided to the city government through Khushhal Pakistan and Tameer-i- Karachi programmes.
"This difference can also be met by abolishing funds for City Nazim and Naib Nazim secretariats, which stand at Rs18 million and Rs7.4 million respectively," he pointed out.
Siddique Rathore deplored that a few people were taking all the decisions regarding Karachi by ignoring the legislative council of the city and demanded to put an end to this unjust practice. -PPI
