KARACHI, Nov 4: The City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, has said that Karachi has been shouldering burden of the entire country but without accruing its due benefits as a result it has been facing numerous problems.

Talking to a delegation of the president’s task force here on Sunday, the Nazim pointed out that resource constraints had become a hurdle in mitigating the pressing issues.

Demanding sea dues tax for the city government he said that Karachi is a mini-Pakistan where people from all parts of the subcontinent had been living, but it has remained deprived of the facilities of a metropolitan city.

The Nazim said as the city was not paid due attention, Pakistan had to suffer as recurring incidents in Karachi had been reflecting on the country.

Another loss to the country due to uncertain situation and unrest in the metropolis, he said, had been in the form of brain drain from Karachi.

Mr Naimatullah Khan pointed out that out of 18 towns in Karachi ten were backward kutcha settlements, where the people could not be provided basic provisions for want of resources.

A major source of income used to be the octroi tax, which was withdrawn by the government and the money to compensate the loss has never been equivalent, he said.

The Nazim pointed out that the health condition of the citizens was linked with the sewerage and water supply system and until the old underground water pipelines were replaced, clean water supply to the people could not be materialized. Therefore, he said, the city government deserved federal special grant to meet the requirements.

Naib Nazim Tariq Hasan said that the problems of the city could only be solved if its policies were framed by those having exposures of its pressing needs.

The members of the task force said that they would formulate proposals keeping in view the needs of all parts of the country.

They said that the task force had been working to provide basic health and education facilities and to eliminate poverty and soon they would submit their proposals to the president.