KARACHI: City Administrator Laeeq Ahmed on Monday directed the district administrations to appoint focal persons for arrangements related to Shab-i-Barat, due to be observed next Monday night, so that immediate contact could be made regarding cemeteries located in any area.
He said that KMC and DMCs would work as a team throughout the city not only on the eve of Shab-i-Barat but also on other occasions such as rain emergency, to work out a joint strategy with the district administrations.
Mr Ahmed said that the roads leading to cemeteries in different districts should be visited immediately and obstructions should be cleared there and wherever light and water arrangements are required, immediate steps should be taken to complete these works.
He said that city wardens would be deployed around the cemeteries to guide people and assist the police in traffic control.
The administrator said that KMC was taking all-out measures to provide better sanitation, water and lighting arrangements not only in the cemeteries of KMC but also in the graveyards run by other institutions.
He also sought information from the representatives of different districts regarding the arrangements for Shab-i-Barat in their areas and asked them to provide a complete list of cemeteries so that necessary arrangements could be made in the light of this list.
Representatives of the district administration said that there were 29 cemeteries in West district, 21 in Malir district and three in South district.
It was informed that 39 out of 203 cemeteries are under administrative control of the KMC, while others were allotted to different societies.
Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2021