KARACHI: Expressing regret over non-payment of salaries to the staff of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation before Eid, Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar said on Tuesday that the Sindh government had proved that it had no interest in solving problems of even its employees as it “deliberately” delaying the release of funds for the purpose.

“Had the provincial government wanted employees’ salaries and pensions disbursed before Eid, it would have released the funds to KMC on or before May 27,” he added.

The mayor was talking to a group of media persons at his office.

He said that the provincial government had initially released half of the funds on May 30 and later released the remaining half after the municipal administration raised a hue and cry in media. “The release of funds was delayed and the money could not be transferred in KMC accounts on time,” the mayor said.

He deplored that the procedure adopted by the Sindh government for transfer of funds to the KMC was too cumbersome and complicated as the State Bank of Pakistan first transferred the money to Sindh Bank which later transferred it to accounts of different departments and functionaries.

“The PPP-led government is enemy of people of Karachi because they didn’t vote for it. But it doesn’t even serve the people who voted for them in other parts of the province,” he lamented.

The mayor said that the provincial government was not interested in solving the problems of the masses.

He said the purpose of the 18th Amendment was not to create a “state within a state” in the country.

He said the provincial government was inefficient as all government and municipal systems, including water supply, sewerage, education and transport had been ruined.

The mayor said that the provincial government had usurped the powers of all city departments, but its performance was nil.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2019