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KARACHI, March 16: City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has said that there should be an integrated command for running the affairs of Karachi, and suggested that the city government should be empowered vis-a-vis a uniform municipal service and collection of municipal tax across the city.
“Unity of command is necessary for running the affairs of a mega city like Karachi. The city government is the body which should be responsible for overall uniform municipal services in the metropolis and we have incorporated this suggestion in the city’s master plan,” he told Dawn.
He, however, maintained that under the master plan, all civic organisations would continue to work within their respective jurisdictions as the land controlling authorities but with regard to the municipal services, the city would have a uniform policy.On Friday, the Nazim held a meeting with the officials of Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and cantonment bards on the master plan and informed them about the need of a single body for the provision of municipal services in the city.
Administrator DHA Brig Kamran Qazi, Cantt Board representatives Iftikhar Ahmed and Brig (r) Javed Ashraf, DCO Karachi Fazlur Rehman and other officials attended the meeting.
Mr Kamal informed the meeting that the municipal services in the city were, at present, being controlled by several organisations due to which people were facing problems. He said that Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) held the responsibility of supplying water and ensuring proper sewerage system in all the areas of the city.
He pointed out that except the city district government, no civic agency had the system of disposing of solid waste. He said that city government already had a landfill site at its disposal while two more was being earmarked for the purpose.
He maintained that the existence of all land controlling authorities in Karachi was duly recognised in the master plan. In this regard, he said, the suggestions and proposals of all these authorities were being incorporated in the draft master plan.
It was also decided that another meeting would be held on March 20 (Tuesday) to finalise the proposals from DHA and cantonment boards.
QATAR VISIT: City Nazim Mustafa Kamal will visit Qatar in the last week of March on an invitation by Amir of Qatar, Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani.
During his visit, two billion dollar investment in Karachi by the Qatar government would be given final shape. The nazim was extended an invitation for visit to Qatar by Ambassador Hamad Bin Ali Al-Hinzab during a meeting in which he also conveyed the good wishes of the Amir and the Qatar government.
He told the nazim that Qatar government would invest two billion dollars in the ‘City Centre’ project, Karachi’s biggest commercial project, consisting of 7-star hotel, shopping complex and offices.
The ambassador said the trade relations between Pakistan and Qatar were growing and increased investment would prove greatly beneficial for the people of both countries. He said the Amir of Qatar was expected to visit Pakistan soon during which he would also come to Karachi and lay the foundation of the projects to be undertaken with Qatar government’s investment.
