KARACHI, Aug 4: A meeting of Karachi Coordination Committee of the Pakistan People’s Party on Friday condemned the atrocities being committed on the people of Lebanon and asked the international community to act immediately to enforce a ceasefire.

The meeting was held at Bilawal House on Friday with Aftab Shahban Mirani in chair. Others who attended the meeting were Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Sherry Rehman, Taj Haider, Nafees Siddiqui, Nawab Yousuf Talpur, and Prof N.D. Khan.

It discussed the rain havoc in Karachi, which exposed the inactivity and negligence of the government. The meeting observed that the response of the government towards the sufferings of the people of Karachi and other rain affected areas was really pathetic. It was sorrowful state that no senior government functionary including the governor and the chief minister visited any calamity-affected area. The meeting noted that when the people were suffering they were found deeply involved in their wheeling-dealing. The participants of the meeting regretted that the government had yet to announce compensation for the bereaved families.

They noted that it was found that the civic amenities of Karachi had totally collapsed, be it drainage, sewerage, supply of drinking water, electricity, telephone, underpasses and road infrastructure. This was indicative of the large scale mismanagement and misappropriation of public funds, which were being taken in the name of development, they added.

The KCC expressed solidarity with the government school teachers and held that the ban on teachers’ organisations had excluded them from preparation of electoral lists. Criminals had been deputed for preparing bogus and manipulative electoral lists, the meeting alleged, and observed that the ban was part of conspiracy to exclude the teachers from the enrolment of votes.

The meeting urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to take cognizance of the dangerous situation, where workers of a linguistic party had taken over the task of preparing voters lists. The Election Commission should publicise the names and designations of enumerators appointed.

The committee took strong exception to fixing the cut-off date for the 18-year-old voters, which should be extended till the final announcement of the voters’ list.