KARACHI: Sindh-city govts' tussle hampering uplift work
By Habib Khan Ghori
KARACHI, Oct 6: The ongoing tussle between the provincial and city governments took a new turn on Tuesday when governor decided to intervene in the affairs of the New Sabzi Mandi
and directed the city government to finalize the project's master plan within three days.
It appeared to be the third move of its kind in a week where the provincial government intervened directly in the affairs of the city government.
On Monday, the governor quashed a notification issued by City Nazim Naimatullah Khan about regularization of all kutchi abadis existing on the lands under the control of the city government and six other autonomous bodies.
Two days earlier, the provincial government had set aside the nazim's notification whereby the defunct development agencies - the Malir Development Authority (MDA) and Lyari Development Authority (LDA) - were deprived of their autonomous status. The city nazim has since challenged the provincial government's action in the Sindh High Court.
Observers believe that Governor Ishratul Ibad's fresh directive viz-a-viz the Sabzi Mandi project, may deal a severe blow to the relations between the provincial and city governments, if seen in the backdrop of nullifying the city nazim's decisions and declaring them as 'beyond the city government's jurisdiction'.
The two sides have never enjoyed good bilateral relations eversince the inception of the city government, they point out, saying that the major coalition partner in the provincial government is the Muttahida Qaumi Movement whereas the dominant force in the city government is Jamaat-i-Islami with its former city chief being the city nazim.
MNA Mohammad Hussain Mehanti says that in view of the upcoming local government elections, the governor's move could be regarded as bias, particularly in a situation where the office of governor is held by a person belonging to the MQM.
The observers also apprehend that in the coming days, the relations between the two sides may deteriorate further as the provincial government's moves, one after the other, in this direction could be taken as part of 'manoeuvring' for the local government elections.
A former city mayor Abdul Sattar Afghani says the massive development across the metropolis during the tenure of the first city district government has earned the City Nazim Naimatullah Khan considerable popularity among the people of Karachi.
The development work is visible because it includes road repairs and carpeting, traffic management, beautification and expansion of roundabouts, and introduction of large-sized buses, besides construction, renovation and beautification of amusement and other parks.
For the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, which is being regarded as the strongest party in Karachi having representation in all elected institutions since 1985, the city nazim's popularity is a threat, no matter serious or negligible, said a neutral observer.
Though both the sides have been tackling all matters politically, the ultimate sufferers of their ongoing tussle appeared to be the common man who expects from the government as a whole adequate civic facilities in every nook and corner of the city.
The observers are of the view that while the governor's move to intervene in the affairs of Sabzi Mandi could be helpful in checking the business of illegal allotment by unscrupulous government functionaries, its message to the city government may sure be taken as yet another act of meddling in the CDGK affairs by the provincial government.
Such an impression could have been mellowed down had the participants of the Tuesday meeting, where the decision about the Sabzi Mandi affairs had been taken, also discussed the issue of transferring the project to the city district government as provided under the SLGO-2001 and once decided by the provincial government during the tenure of chief minister Ali Mohammad Mahar, they say.
The observers recall that Mr Mahar's move had been sabotaged when put in abeyance by certain influential figures in the government and paved the way for all sorts of irregularities and corruption. It was the same situation which may have invited the governor's intervention.
The demand to hand over the Sabzi Mandi to the city government was raised by President of the Malir Fresh Fruit Merchants and Growers Association Muhammad Javed. Subsequently, a sub-committee was set up by the then government following reports of massive mal-administration, corruption and increasing problems caused to the allottees due to slicing of plots out of the open space meant for maintenance of traffic flow and facilitate visitors.
