KARACHI, May 10: The City Nazim, Niamatullah Khan, has called for uniform laws for hoardings and buildings in Karachi, and said an elaborate planning is required for this purpose. He was talking to a visiting five-member World Bank delegation at the Civic Centre on Tuesday. He apprised the delegation about the city’s development projects.

The WB delegation is being led by Sector Manager, Economic Policy Aijaz Nabi.

The nazim said in order to resolve transport problems of the city, six mass transit corridors had been planned. An agreement had also been signed with a US company for one such corridor from Sohrab Goth to Tower, he added.

He said the city government in addition planned starting a tram service in the city’s congested areas, and the proposal of a Moscow-based company was under consideration in this regard.

Mr Niamat also briefed the delegation about an agreement made with a US company for the installation of a desalination plant, further telling them that such agreements would be concluded with two more companies. He said four companies had shown interest in installing desalination plants in the city’s coastal areas.

Replying to various queries of the delegation members, the city nazim pointed out that Karachi was a city of great importance and there was a need for a special focus on education, health and transport sectors.

Mr Niamat said the city government was working on the same pattern of the Punjab for promotion of education, adding that 33 new colleges had been opened in the last three years and free textbooks were distributed among students.

He informed that law and order situation had improved as compared to the past, and international exhibitions were being held in the city. Foreign investment had also shown grown, the delegation was told.

ANTI-PYE DOGS DRIVE: The City Nazim, Niamatullah Khan, has decided to launch a major campaign against pye-dogs in the city, saying immediate and emergency measures were needed to eliminate stray dogs. The campaign will continue until their total elimination.

A meeting was convened at his office on Monday in this regard. The President of Infection Disease Society of Pakistan, Dr Nasim Salahuddin, Deputy Director JPMC Dr Simin Jamali, Founder Helpline Trust Hameed Maker and EDO Health Dr Khalid Hussain Shaikh attended the meeting.

The campaign is considered important to check the increasing number of pye-dogs and dog bite cases.

The nazim directed the EDO Health to take concrete measures for providing the required number of capsules for killing stray dogs, strongly instructing that they do not fall sort like in the past.

Mr Niamat asked the EDO Health that the anti-pye dog drive should also include awareness about the harmful affects of dog bites.—APP

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