Karachi mayor to sort out differences with Sindh government through talks

The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation's Mayor Waseem Akhtar has urged the Sindh government to devolve the powers to the local councils so that they can work smoothly. "Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan will continue to struggle for the autonomy of the local government," he said speaking at a press conference at Hyderabad Municipal Corporation's Jinnah Hall, here on Wednesday.
He said though he and his party wanted the empowered local bodies, they will not resort to the politics of confrontation or agitation against the provincial government. Karachi Mayor said that the prevailing circumstances in the country and the military's fight against terrorists were the reasons that they desisted from political agitation.
He said the allocation of funds and impeding the local bodies from garbage disposal, water supply and drainage, were the main areas of disagreement between him and Sindh government.
"As a first option, the MQM-Pakistan will try to convince the provincial government through negotiations to meet their demands," he said, adding that they may take the issue to the Supreme Court on whose order the local government elections were conducted last year. When asked how much time his party would give to the Sindh government for sorting out the controversial issues he avoided giving a deadline.
Karachi Mayor asserted that devolution of powers to the local government would lead to strengthened democratic institutions in the country. He demanded special packages from the prime minister and Sindh chief minister for Karachi and Hyderabad.
"I know Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif is worried about Karachi and he wants to see development in Karachi alongside other parts of the country and particularly he wants success of CPEC project," he said citing that former President Asif Zardari laid the foundation of the CPEC project while Nawaz Sharif was vigorously carrying it forward.
Hyderabad Mayor Syed Tayyab Hussain and Deputy Mayor Sohail Mashhadi, MNA Syed Waseem Hussain, MPAs namely Rashid Khilji, Sabir Qaimkhani and Dilawar Qureshi and the local leaders of the MQM were also present.