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KARACHI, Nov 12: The federal government has allocated a grant of Rs50 million for Lyari Town and this is in addition to the funds that have been earmarked for the town under the Tameer-i-Karachi Programme.
This was stated by Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad at an Iftar dinner hosted by Naib City Nazim Tariq Hasan here on Friday. Talking to newsmen, he noted that civic infrastructure in Lyari Town was in a bad shape.
He said that development funds for other towns, such as Orangi and Korangi, had been allocated as per their requirements. Dr Ishrat pointed out that under the Tameer-i-Karachi Programme, the federal government was taking up major projects of road construction, infrastructure, leak ages in water supply system, etc. President Musharraf, he said, was also personally monitoring the process.
The governor was hopeful that such works would be carried out with the federal funding, saying that the Sindh government was also participating in the endeavour. In reply to a question, he said that the city government was streamlining the process in order to tackle the problems in the distribution of funds among the towns. He pointed out that members of parliament also came up with their development schemes.
He said that Sindh government was also funding certain development schemes being executed in towns. Mega projects were being undertaken with federal funding and through the Tameer-i-Karachi Programme, he added.
His attention was drawn to the reported contention of the Sindh chief minister that the city nazim's frequent visits abroad affected work, the governor said that Dr Arbab might have felt this administratively.
"on various occasions, especially when there is a law and order situation, nazim is required to remain present in his jurisdiction. When his foreign visit coincides with such a situation, then there is a problem for the administration.
Therefore, the chief minister's contention in this context is correct." Replying to another question, he said that there was no interference from the provincial government in affairs of the city government.
Among the guests at the Iftar dinner were Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, City Nazim Niamatullah Khan, ministers Ali Bux Shah alias Pappu Shah, Wasim Akhtar, Arif Jatoi and Saeeda Malik, MPA Dr Manzoor Leghari, Chief Secretary Aslam Sanjrani, IGP Syed Kamal Shah, DCO Fazlur Rehman, former DCO Mir Hussain Ali, and other prominent figures including Bostan Ali Hoti, Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi, Rahat Javed, Manzar Rawal, Salma Waheed and Khushbakht Shujaat.
HOARDINGS: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad has issued directive for the removal of illegal and deshaped hoardings, particularly those which have become hazardous and are hindering a smooth flow of traffic.
During his visit to various parts of the city, the governor stopped at the Schon Circle and pin-pointed some of the hazardous hoardings which, he said, were not only hindering the traffic flow but also posing a threat to people and undermining beauty of the city.
The governor also visited Old Clifton (near Mohatta Palace) and Bagh Ibn-i-Qasim area and took serious note of encroachments and land grabbing in the area. He made it clear that recent land occupations and encroachments could not be regarded as kutchi abadis, and directed the concerned officials to take strict action against the land mafia and also those involved in the racket.
He called for developing the Old Clifton's elevated hillock area as a beautiful and attractive recreational spot. Adviser to the CM Waseem Akhtar, Principal Secretary Brig Akhtar Zamin, City Nazim Niamatullah Khan, ACS Mohammad Saleem Khan, DCO Fazlur Rehman, EDOs Shoaib Siddiqui and Mohammed Waseem, as well as other officials were present on the occasion.
Later, the governor inspected the Jehangir Kothari Palace and Bagh Ibn-i-Qasim projects. On the occasion, he was informed that the Bagh would be made a vast and most attractive spot along the coast and developed as a national park.
He was also informed that the development work would begin next month and the Rs200 million project would be completed in six months. Meanwhile, Dr Ibad has directed the concerned officials to work with community cooperation to provide due facilities to people as early as possible. -APP/PPI
