KARACHI, May 5: The City Nazim, Niamatullah Khan, has called on each and every person to take part in the development of Karachi. “People living here should think how much this city has given them, and well-to-do people particularly industrialists should serve the cause of Karachi,” he said as the chief guest at the foundation stone laying ceremony of a park and distribution of lease documents at Akhtar Colony on Wednesday.

Recalling that he had started life from a hutment in Karachi and that today he was its city nazim, the nazim said it was the reason for him serving it day and night. “People owe their achievements to this city and they must repay that ‘debt’,” he said.

He described the katchi abadis as an ‘ornament on the forehead of Karachi’ and said people living in these abadis had contributed exemplarily towards the city’s development.

Mr Niamat said he considered telling lies a big sin, adding that he as the city nazim had never made a false promise. He said this in reference to his promise of giving lease to katchi abadis.

Today, he said that proprietary rights were being granted at the 1979 rate of Rs25 to Rs200 per sq-yd.

He said lease camps had been established in katchi abadis so that a maximum number of people could get lease rights.

He recalled that in 1999, lease rates were fixed from Rs400 to Rs2,500 per sq-yd, but he had decided to grant lease at much lesser rates.

The nazim reminded that in 2001, Karachiites had reposed their trust in a capable leadership, as a result of which lot of development activity took place in the city. Today people were reaping fruits of the same, he said.

The Nazim Jamshed Town, Ahmed Parekh, praised the services rendered by DO Katchi Abadis Razia Sultana. A commendation certificate was announced by Mr Parekh for Ms Sultana.

Councillor Zahoor Ahmed Jadoon paid glowing tributes to the services of the City Nazim, Niamatullah Khan, and also appreciated the services of the katchi abadis department.

The city nazim, on the occasion, presented lease documents to over 100 residents of Kashmir and Akhtar colonies as well as proprietary rights to the imams of mosques.—APP