KARACHI, April 14: The city government’s advisory committee, consisting of nazims of all 18 towns, has decided to remove all sorts of encroachments from plots earmarked for parks and playgrounds. The meeting, which was chaired by the City Nazim, Niamatullah Khan, was told that the Sindh Governor, Dr Ishratul Ibad, who is scheduled to visit Lyari Town in the current month, would announce a grant of Rs50 million for development works in the town.

The meeting was attended by the City Naib Nazim, Tariq Hassan, DCO Fazal-ur-Rehman, town nazims and executive district officers of the city government.

A host of issues concerning property tax, pension fund, provision of gas to Gaddap Town and transfer of developed parks from Gulistan-i-Jauhar to Gulshan-i-Iqbal Town were also reviewed at the meeting.

When a number of nazims pointed out that inordinate delay was being made in setting up model parks in the remaining towns, the naib nazim said since development works could not be stopped in the wake of transfers of one or two officials, the nazim had already issued instructions to the concerned department to expedite the process of developing model parks in the remaining towns, which include Lyari, Jamshed, Baldia, etc.

Speaking on the occasion, the nazim directed the KWSB officials to ensure that complaints pertaining to water and sewerage were attended to promptly.

He also instructed the officials to expeditiously complete the reconstruction and improvement works on Korangi’s Road 12000, Jehangir Road and other ongoing road projects.

At this, the DCO informed the meeting that a committee had already been formed to review the pace of progress of all roads, which were currently being improved and reconstructed. Besides, payments of contractors were being cleared, he said.

The city government’s EDO, Water and Sanitation Department, Brig Iftikhar Haider, told the meeting that a new pipeline would be laid in Baldia Town to help improve its water supply position.

The EDO, Works and Services Department, Sarfraz Ali Shah, told the meeting that work on a 19-km long road in New Karachi had been completed.

The nazims of Gulshan-i-Iqbal Town, Abdul Wahab, and Farooq Niamatullah of Gulberg Town put forward their suggestions aimed at improving cleanliness and relating to octroi of both rural and urban areas.

At the outset, the nazim emphasized the need for convening the advisory committee’s meeting strictly in accordance with its due schedule.

He added that the implementation of decisions made by the advisory committee was the responsibility of the city government’s EDOs.