KARACHI: The Jamaat-i-Islami on Saturday relaunched its public drive for the rights of Karachi by staging a rally in Korangi, where party leaders warned that the existing policies of the federal and provincial governments for the country’s business capital would cause suffering to the masses and lead to a national disaster.

They also strongly condemned the cabinet decision to approve the controversial National Census 2017 under which the population of Karachi stood much lower than the factual one and demanded that the authorities review it.

They also demanded that the federal government order a fresh population census of Karachi, nullify the local government law in Sindh and set up an autonomous city government in the metropolis.

Wants a fresh census to count actual population of Karachi

“Isn’t it an irony that a city that generates employment for the people of every district and town of the country is never owned by the rulers?” asked JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rahman. “Isn’t it a tragedy that this city that deserves to become the world’s centre is pleading for its due rights from its very own rulers? From Ayub Khan to the present day, this city has never been given its due rights and share. But enough is enough. This city has always been deprived of its true leadership through rigging, violence and conspiracies. Now we are here to fight the case of this city.”

‘Empowered city govt’

He stressed the need for an empowered city government for Karachi and demanded that all civic departments working in the metropolis be placed under the umbrella of one unified system.

“No city in the world could make progress if its city government lacked resources,” he said.

“Former Karachi nazim Niamatullah Khan had executed record development works in the city,” he said, adding that after him, the people of the metropolis were facing water, electricity, transport and sewerage problems.”

Hafiz Naeem also condemned the extension of the quota system for an indefinite period by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government, calling it the ruling party’s betrayal with the people of Karachi who chose it for protection of their rights.

“Our party would not stop now. We would expose individuals who are responsible for the devastation of the city. We will single out every party and leader who sold out the people of Karachi for their interests,” he added.

He also warned against any conspiracy to trigger violence on ethnic lines in the city.

“We will not [allow] an ethnic fight for your political interests. If you keep igniting hatred in the name of ethnicity, you will find us on roads and streets of Karachi to expose your hidden agenda,” he warned, without naming any leader or entity.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2020