August 22, 2008	Friday	Sha'aban 19, 1429

KARACHI, Aug 21: The city government plays the role of a silent spectator as political parties, religious organisations, cellphone companies, quacks and fraudsters disfigure and spoil its infrastructure for their publicity and propaganda.

The city government has established a community police department under the municipal services group of offices and it is one of its responsibilities to prevent misuse of municipal infrastructure, including flyovers, underpasses, bridges, office buildings, etc.

Major political parties, including the Pakistan People’s Party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Awami National Party, have spoiled several flyovers, bridges and poles in their strongholds by painting their respective party colours and graffiti. The flags of several political parties are also visible at numerous locations across the city, particularly atop the street-light poles installed on the central medians of the city’s thoroughfares.

A number of private firms, including two cellular phone companies, have also joined those using graffiti and wall-chalking as a form of publicity on the city’s infrastructure. Dubious organisations also offer services of ‘nursing’ and help hire domestic servants through their wall-chalking. Quacks selling their ‘magic potions’ and babas, both local and Bengali versions, make use of this mode of advertising.

Besides, a large number of vendors have illegally occupied places under many flyovers and bridges, adding to traffic congestion, particularly during the morning and evening rush hours.

As for the political parties, sources in the city government say the community police are helpless in taking action against any political party for damaging municipal infrastructure for fear of political repercussions.

“The city government is dominated by the MQM, and suppose if the community police or any other department tries to remove graffiti from the Sohrab Goth flyover, the ANP would consider it as an act of victimisation,” said a source.

However, the executive district officer (Municipal Services), Masood Alam, told Dawn that because of the absence of a code of conduct among political parties, he had restrained the community police from removing flags, portraits, and graffiti of any party. “We are in touch with the political parties and a code of conduct among them on this issue is required,” he added.

About commercial organisations, he said it was basically the responsibility of the local taxes department to take action against companies spoiling the city’s infrastructure with graffiti. Mr Alam deplored the failure of the local taxes department in this regard and said the EDO of revenue should take notice of such illegal publicity and remove the graffiti from city walls.

He said he had summoned the senior management of such companies, including two cellular firms. “I will ask them to remove such graffiti on their own, and we will not tolerate such acts in the future.”

A couple of months ago, the city government had launched a cleanliness drive and directed the relevant authorities to remove graffiti from the city and to impose fines on the companies concerned. However, initially the municipal services department took action against companies misusing the infrastructure, but later it had abandoned its drive.

The EDO, however, observed that it was also the responsibility of the citizens to ensure cleanliness of the city’s infrastructure.

Regarding pushcart vendors, he said the city government planned to register pushcart vendors and issue licences to them. “A proposal in this regard would be sent to the city council for a debate and to make it legal through a resolution. It will also earn revenue for the city government,” he added.

He said the community police would enforce the rules for the pushcart vendors and at present they were taking action against those selling goods on major thoroughfares.