HYDERABAD: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s members of Sindh Assembly and local party leaders have hit out at provincial government for “destroying” civic bodies of the city and said Hyderabad’s problems have increased manifold.

MPAs Sabir Kaimkhani and Rashid Khan said at a news conference here on Friday that the civic problems were aggravating due to chronic corruption in Sindh government, which was meting out step-motherly treatment to Hyderabad. To make the matters worse, control of Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA) and Hyderabad Water & Sewerage Corporation (HW&SC) had been given to mayor, they said.

They said that shortage of drinking water persisted in many areas of the city while several localities were getting filthy water for drinking. Water had not been stored for the city in anticipation of annual barrage closure despite advent of winter season, he said, adding treated water was not being supplied to citizens for a long time.

They said that level of seriousness on part of the government could be gauged from the fact that neither HDA nor HW&SC had permanent administrative heads.

They said that many manholes remained uncovered, which had become death traps. Hyderabad mayor had sacked employees when he took over HMC and now he had sacked poor employees in HDA after taking over its reins, he said.

They alleged that fake recruitments were being made in the authority while employees had not been paid salaries and pension for last 10 months. They complained that the Sindh government ignored representation of civil society’s members and elected members of the assembly on board of governors of the HDA, which reflected its shortsightedness.

They pointed out that the mayor, town and UC chairmen were getting millions of funds every month but these were not utilised for the benefit of public. These funds were pocketed after showing expenses on paper, they said. They said that if the funds had been spent in reality conditions would certainly have improved to a great extent.

Published in Dawn, November 23th, 2024