KARACHI: City Administrator Iftikhar Ali Shallwani on Sunday said that a campaign for cleanliness and planting of trees was initiated in the city from Frere Hall.

He said that the garden of the site had been ignored over the past many years and it was criminally being turned into a dumping ground. “The government alone can’t manage its maintenance, ownership has to come from all walks of life,” he added.

The administrator was speaking to the media while initiating the campaign from Frere Hall. He said that all big parks of the city would be cleaned and trees be planted there with the support of civil society and different organisations.

Diplomats from Germany, Japan and other countries, renowned architect Yasmeen Lari, Shokat Korai, Maheen Usmani, Dr Naseema, KMC officials Taha Saleem, Masood Alam, Khursheed Shah, Council of Library’s Sultan Khalil, Abid Raza, prominent personalities belonging to civil society and others were also present.

Being at the forefront, the city administrator envisioned to clean Karachi as a combined effort. Sweeping and lifting garbage by himself at Frere Hall, Mr Shallwani said that citizens had to play their role, if they wanted their city to be and remain clean.

“Karachi is a historical place and identity of the country. A large number of visitors across the globe come here that’s why it has to cleaned,” he added.

He said that after taking charge as city administrator, he had ordered preservation of historical buildings, restoration of libraries, establishment of street libraries, plantation of trees and renovation of monuments and green belts.

He said that encroachment from Frere Hall had been removed and the site was being restored to its original position.

“Heritage buildings cannot be altered, that’s why I want to preserve the same in their original position,” he added and asked citizens to visit these parks.

Mr Shallwani said that he would try to resolve city issues with the support of other civic institutions through powers he got under the Sindh Local Government Act, 2013.

He said that the library at Frere Hall had been reopened and readers were also being provided facilities. He said that Kidney Hill Park, Bagh Ibne Qasim, Polo Ground and other parks would also be cleaned and trees planted there.

“These (parks) are assets of Karachiites and it is responsibility of civic departments to take care of these parks and maintain the same so that the people could come for relaxation,” he said.

The administrator said that it was a very important day for him as he himself participated in the cleaning of Frere Hall.

He said that he would continue to join others in cleaning parks, and appealed to the citizens to come forward in making Karachi more beautiful.

The administrator along with other participants also planted sapling.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2020