KARACHI, March 31: Nazims and councillors of Lyari town have demanded shifting of transport business from residential areas of Lyari as transporters have converted the whole town into a bus terminus.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday at the end of their five-day peaceful protest campaign against transporters, Nazim Abdul Khaliq Juma and Naib Nazim Malik Mohammad Khan Awan, said the transport business in the town had created a mess.

Flanked by the Nazims of union councils and councillors, they charged certain elements in the bureaucracy, and said they wanted to derail the system, and were supporting forces hostile to the present system to pursue their secret agenda.

Ever since the new leadership had taken over, these forces had been trying to hamper development work by creating hurdles,” they said.

They criticized the attitude of the transport minister for his indecent remarks against the elected representatives of Lyari Town and made it clear that they would not succumb to any pressure tactics and would keep the interests of people supreme.

The town Nazim charged that the minister is directly interfering in the affairs of local bodies and said he had no right to do so.

Naib Nazim Malik Awan said the minister had issued orders to the TPO not to obey any orders pertaining to transporters from the town administration, and said that the TPO had admitted this fact.

Mr Khaliq Juma said it was a serious situation and urged the president to intervene and stop the provincial ministers from interfering the affairs of local bodies.

The Nazim made it clear that he would resist any attempt to sabotage the system.

Mr Juma also criticized the city government, and said that the city government and the TPO had never provided adequate support to the town in its anti-encroachment drive.

The Nazim told the newsmen that the city Nazim had called a meeting of elected representatives and other officials to discuss the transport issue in the town. He expressed the hope that the meeting would reach a positive note and added that they would chalk out their future line of action after Tuesday’s meeting.

He also dispelled the impression that the present campaign against the transport mafia was basically directed against a provincial minister, saying “they have no personal grudge against any one”.