KARACHI: A multiparty conference (MPC) organised by Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) on Wednesday demanded that the Pakistan Peoples Party government review the Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Act 2021 to empower the third tier of the government at grassroots level.

The MPC — Construct Karachi, Construct Pakistan — held at the Karachi Press Club was presided over by MWM leader Syed Ali Hussain Naqvi.

The conference was attended by leaders of different parties including Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MPA Bilal Ghaffar, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leaders Muhammad Abbas and Mehfoz Yar Khan, Syed Hafeezuddin of the Pak Sarzameen Party, Younus Bunari of Awami National Party, Sardar Rahim of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, Tariq Hassan of PML-Q, Rao Kamran Iqbal of Pakistan Awami Tehreek, Atiq Meer of All Karachi Tajir Ittehad and several members of the civil society.

The participants at the conference vowed to struggle together for the prosperity of Karachi and demanded that the provincial government review the controversial law amid serious reservations of the political and business stakeholders of the city.

They said that Karachi was currently deprived of necessities like water, gas, electricity and infrastructure. However, they were of the view that the division of Sindh on ethnic grounds could jeopardise harmony and peace.

The government can facilitate the citizen even in limited resources through different relief schemes, they added.

A resolution adopted by the participants of the conference emphasised the need to root out “mafias” from the city rather than holding random operations against encroachments.

It also asked the federal government for making efforts so that the prime minister’s relief package could benefit the people of the city.

The conference demanded early completion of the K-IV water supply project to address water scarcity in the city and sought immediate intervention both from the federal and provincial governments to resolve basic problems regarding the necessities of the city.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2021