KARACHI, Nov 19: City Nazim Mustafa Kamal has announced commencement of a week-long cleanliness drive on Tuesday with focus on removal of graffiti. Speaking at a press conference in his office on Monday, he urged people from all walks of life to extend their full cooperation and take part in making the city neat and clean.

He said participation of citizens in efforts to keep the municipal system work efficiently was necessary.

Stressing that citizens should actively participate in keeping the city clean, he urged all organisations in the metropolis to get the graffiti on the outer walls of their respective buildings and structures removed within a week.

“The city government will lodge FIRs against those who would not heed the request,” he warned.

Referring to the canvassing for the upcoming general elections, Mr Kamal urged all political parties to add the resolve in the code of conduct for their individual campaigns that they would avoid graffiti.

He said that the municipal services department was equipped enough to clean the city employing 250 vehicles and machinery procured by the city government at a cost of Rs700 million.

In addition to the machinery and equipment at the disposal of town administrations, the city government had also acquired the required machinery on rent, he said.

The nazim said that a separate desk had been established at the citizen information management centre with telephone number “1339” where people could lodge their complaints regarding cleanliness.

He invited other land controlling authorities, including the Defence Housing Authority, to participate in the cleanliness drive and put in their resources and manpower.

DCO Javed Hanif and EDO Municipal Services Masood Alam were also present.