KARACHI: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Senator Siraj-ul-Haq said here on Saturday that his party would contest local government elections on 95 per cent seats of Karachi union councils with “adjustments” in several constituencies with “like-minded” parties.

Speaking at a press conference at the JI Karachi headquarters Idara Noor-i-Haq, he vowed to restore Karachi’s image and undertake development schemes under the local administration if his party came to power after LG elections.

“We have plans to contest elections from every district of the city,” he said. “We will cover almost 95 per cent union council seats for contesting the elections with adjustments with our like-minded parties. We have history of serving the city and have comprehensive planning to do it again.”

He lauded the ongoing “targeted operation” in Karachi under the Rangers while commending the efforts of the paramilitary force, which had provided relief to the Karachiites, in general, and traders, in particular. He voiced his support for the operation “like every single Karachiite”.

However, he criticised the Sindh government for its “failure” to serve the people of the province despite having been in power for more than eight years.

“If you compare the situation in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where we are in the coalition government with the Tehreek-i-Insaf, you will see the difference,” said Senator Haq. “In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the government has empowered the institutions with financial and administrative support. Here [in Sindh] every single institution is on the decline only due to corruption and bad governance.”

He referred to the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, where the chairman’s office was taken care of by the provincial minister. He pointed to the Sindh governor’s “key role” in the appointment of the vice chancellor of the Dow University of Health Sciences.

Talking about the plans of the JI if the party emerged victorious after the LG elections, he said that resolving the water crisis would be their priority with development schemes for transport, education and health.

“The situation is no different in Hyderabad, the second largest city of the province. The people are unable to get even basic facilities despite paying taxes and voting for those parties which have been ruling this province for decades. We would bring true change in the civic facilities of the city if we become its representative,” he added.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2015

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