KARACHI, Nov 17: The City Council, through a unanimously adopted resolution, urged the federal government on Monday to establish a cadet college near Karachi as soon as possible, to enable the city youths to get better education and training for the defence of the country.The resolution proposed the site of the college at Deh Mandro, near the Hub Dam and about 40 kilometres from Karachi.
It also observed that since meetings of the Inter-Services Selection Board were held at the Malir Cantonment in Karachi, it would make it easier for the youths of the city to get necessary education close to their homes.
The resolution was moved by treasury member Shahbaz Husain, who was supported by house leader Asif Siddiqui and other treasury members.
Initiating the debate, Mr Hussain said Karachi was a very important city of the country and it was generating more than 60 per cent of the revenue for it, but it was not being given its due status.
He pointed out that there were three cadet colleges in the interior of Sindh, but none in Karachi. Arguing that the proposed site was suitable for the establishment of the college because of its pleasant environment, the treasury member urged the federal government to help the city government in the construction of the proposed college.
The contention of Mr Hussain was also supported by treasury leaders Asif Siddiqui, Sarwar Arif, Abdul Jalil, Shahbuddin and others.
Earlier, when the house resumed its proceedings, opposition leaders Saeed Ghani and Abdul Razzak drew the attention of the presiding officer to the denial report of US magazine Foreign Policy regarding the publication of a news report, which was subsequently carried by local newspapers, about the status of the Karachi nazim.
The opposition members stressed that the issue was very important as the house had already passed a resolution on the subject.
But the presiding officer did not agree with the opposition, ruling that the house had already adopted a resolution on it and there was no room for further debate on the issue. At the same time, he urged the members to take up the house agenda.
The remarks of the presiding officer caused resentment among the opposition members and they boycotted the session in protest.
It was surprising that no attempt was made by any treasury member to persuade the opposition to return to the house as had been witnessed in the past on such occasions.
In the absence of opposition members, the house resumed its proceedings and adopted several resolutions tabled by the treasury benches.
Orangi industrial zone
After a heated debate, the house adopted the resolution about a cottage industrial zone in Orangi Town, approved in 1994 by the then government, but later not properly developed.
The council gave its approval for a revised map and an increase in development charges from Rs600 to Rs800.
Taking the floor, house leader Asif Siddiqui said though the scheme was approved by the then government, it was not implemented.
Mr Siddiqui alleged that originally the scheme was launched to shower political favours on the then unelected advisory councillors by the government without formal balloting. Initially 3,100 applications were submitted, but later the number swelled to 3,778, he added.
However, he said the city nazim took personal interest in activating the project as it would, according to him, benefit 4,000 families. He claimed that allotments were made to genuine plot owners with a nominal increase of Rs200 in development charges, and development works were in progress.
Earlier, treasury leaders Arshad Qureshi, Abdul Jalil, Khursheed Iqbal, Shahabuddin, Imran and Javed Jadoon took part in the debate.
They lauded efforts of the city nazim in the activation of the project, saying that cottage industry was a base of industrial development of a country.
They urged the city nazim to also take interest in the implementation of Badia and Landhi-Korangi cottage industrial zones although those projects were approved by the past governments, they had never shown any interest in the execution of the projects. As a result, the mafia had occupied the land in the project areas.
Separately, a resolution was also adopted in the house urging the Revenue Department of the city government to submit a report within a month regarding development schemes pertaining to Landhi and Baldia towns cottage industrial zone so that hurdles could be removed.
Later, on the demand of the members, the Korangi Cottage Industrial zone was also included.
In addition, the house also adopted three more resolutions.
Through a resolution the executive district officer (EDO) for community development of the city government was empowered to provide financial support to the needy.
The house also adopted a resolution for the reorganisation of a group of officers in the CDGK’s finance and planning department.
A resolution about the land status of a swimming pool in Gushan-i-Johar was also moved. The plot which was commercial and reserved for a swimming pool purpose has now been converted for the construction of a multi-storey commercial building.
After the adoption of the resolution the council session held without opposition members was adjourned by the presiding officer and it will now meet on Nov 22.
Nazim’s status
At a news conference held by opposition leaders Saeed Ghani and Abdul Razzak criticised the attitude of the presiding officer to the opposition benches and termed it biased. They said the opposition wanted to discuss the controversial report of an American magazine regarding the status of the Karachi nazim. They distributed a copy of the denial of the US magazine.
They alleged that the treasury benches misguided the house regarding the report and took political advantage out of it by launching a huge publicity campaign with public funds.