HYDERABAD: Leader of Opposition in Sindh Assembly Firdous Shamim Naqvi has warned the business community of Hyderabad that if they fail to raise their voice against corruption, their problems would not be resolved.

Speaking at the Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry the other day, he said Hyderabad city was faced with serious civic issues which would be highlighted at all forums. All roads were broken and the sewerage system remained in pretty bad shape, he added.

He said Hyderabad’s SITE was also facing infrastructure development issues and industrialists were shifting from the city.

He said the business community would have to take action for activating Hyderabad airport and urged them to exercise their right of franchise carefully in future. Honest people should be elected because only an honest leadership would be able to serve the masses.

He said that those who believed in serving the masses should be entrusted with that responsibility. The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government would take steps for ensuring representation of the business community in the board of directors (BoD) of the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco), he added.

He said extension of the Hyderabad SITE pertained to the provincial government and Hyderabad Railway Station needed to be upgraded. If the local government system was introduced in a real sense, many problems would be resolved at the local level, he added.

Chamber head Saleemuddin Qureshi said that a package was announced for the housing sector in amnesty scheme 2018-19 and called for reopening of Hyderabad airport for the business community and starting flight operation from there.

He said Hyderabad city should be given a Rs40 billion development package. The property-related tax rates of Hyderabad should be rationalized as the existing rates were on unusually higher side, he observed.

He said the chamber president should be made member of Hesco’s BoD. He said that federal government should ensure provision of hospitals and hotels on M-9 Motorway. The Hyderabad industrial zone should be facilitated with proper infrastructure, he added.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2020