The resolution was tabled by the house convener, Nasreen Jalil, after the members had a lengthy discussion on the traffic management system.
When the proceedings began, the convener told the house that the group leaders had agreed to submit a joint resolution on the vital issue of traffic jams. She said any member desirous of putting forward his suggestions on the issue could present his views. Subsequently, several members took part in the debate and gave suggestions.
Most of the members welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision about the restrictions imposed on daytime entry of heavy vehicles while others stressed the need for taking effective measures to ensure strict enforcement of traffic laws and regulations besides removing encroachments and obstructions in the smooth flow of traffic.
Several members called for establishing a better traffic management and transport system and a community policing system by recruiting local youths under the city government’s administration.
One of the members suggested that the VVIPs should use helicopters during their visit to Karachi so that their movement might not hinder the traffic flow on roads.
The house members also underlined the need for early completion of Lyari Expressway project, saying that this would reduce traffic load on many roads of the city.
A few members also called for removal of encroachment from drains and timely steps to ensure their cleaning and maintenance.
The wholesale business of steel and timber were the main traffic hurdles in the old city areas, Leader of the House Asif Siddiqui said and suggested that they should be shifted to some other place for better traffic management in these areas.
Masood Mehmud of the Haq Parast Group said the problem could only be solved with joint efforts of all stakeholders. He suggested that community policing under the city government administration should be introduced.
The idea was contested by opposition member Dilawar Khan, saying that this would open new avenues of corruption. He also objected to certain remarks of Masood Mehmud who said that Mr Khan was opposing the proposal for he was not a Karachiitte. This resulted in noise and disturbance in the house. Saying that his forefathers had been settled here before the inception of Pakistan, he was on his feet when the convenor intervened and told the opposition members to maintain the decorum of the house.
Urging treasury and opposition leaders to consult each other and submit a joint on the vital issue, she suspended the session for 15 minutes.
As the session resumed, a joint resolution was moved in the house. Before it could be put to vote, opposition leader Saeed Ghani stood up and urged the convenor that the house should be informed about the number of drains cleaned and the money spent on it so far. He suggested that this should be made part of the joint resolution.
This was protested by Asif Siddiqui and Masood Mehmud who stood up and alleged that the opposition leader was unnecessarily trying to spoil the pleasant atmosphere of the house. They claimed that the resolution was prepared with the consent of opposition leaders and their views were suitably accommodated.
In order to defuse the situation, the treasury leaders said that they had no objection if the opposition leader would submit a separate amendment and seek the mandate of the house. But the opposition did not agree and kept on insisting that a new para should be added to the joint resolution until the convenor put off the session for Wednesday.