KARACHI: The City Council on Wednesday echoed with demands from both the treasury and opposition members for proper maintenance of the city’s necropolises where, according to the local government representatives, stray dogs roamed freely.

The chairmen of different union committees painted a horrific picture of several graveyards across the city when one of them tabled a resolution seeking maintenance of the Mewashah graveyard which was in a “very poor” condition with no cleanliness and lights.

While all of them complained of poor maintenance, some of them alleged that the land mafia had encroached upon many graveyards in the city.

The chairman of UC-35 in Korangi district, Syed Javed Ali belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, said that the situation at the Chakra Goth graveyard in Korangi No. 1 was alarming as it was replete with stray dogs who dug out the graves and ate up body parts.

Councillors say land mafia encroaching upon cemeteries

He said there were as many as seven graveyards in his constituency and all of them were in very poor condition.

Another UC chairman, Nadim Akhtar Arian of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), said that grave diggers were minting money from the people and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation was getting nothing but shame.

Mayor Wasim Akhtar, who presided over the meeting, said that the KMC had allocated a huge sum this year for maintenance of graveyards and this department was being made better.

He said a model graveyard was under construction in Surjani Town.

Call to increase Karachi’s water share, funds

He said that the City Council would support and cooperate with any government which would perform public welfare works. “The new government must work beyond everything for resolving basic issues in the city and province,” the mayor said.

He said that promises made by the political parties with the people should be fulfilled and the public money be used correctly.

Mr Akhtar said that Sindh’s share in the National Finance Commission Award and water should be enhanced and the withheld funds for federal government projects being undertaken in Karachi be released immediately.

The mayor called it a good omen that the Independence Day celebrations were held in the city on KMC and district level in a befitting manner and the people took part in these functions beyond their political or other affiliations.

He also asked the parliamentary party leader Aslam Afridi to change the committee chairmen who were not taking interest in their job.

Eight resolutions unanimously adopted

The council unanimously approved eight resolutions.

The resolutions include setting up of fibre optics wires and levy of tax on their installation; public-private partnership project for establishment of the Karachi Theme and Safari Park; creation of posts for provision of medical facilities to the animals of Karachi Zoo and Safari Park; the quarterly payment for annual agreement of repairing and maintenance of three angiography machines of the Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases.

Other resolutions are naming of Korangi Creek Road or flyover after Shahjahan S. Karim; repairing and maintenance of residential flats/quarters of KMC employees; construction of main road of the Mewashah graveyard and the nomination of the Karachi mayor as trustee of the KPT board for a two-year term.

Those who expressed their views on above resolutions include opposition leader Karamullah Waqasi, Syed Muzammil Shah, Hanif Surti, Aslam Shah Afridi, Ali Raza Baloch, Syed Javed Ali, Tajuddin, Khalil Imam, Ahsanullah, Fatima Khan, Amin Khan, Nazar Baloch and Tanvir Khan Jadoon.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2018