Chief Minister Sindh Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has said that the provincial government is considering to bring an amendment in the laws related to allotment of lands for industrial purposes, which was banned a few years back. However, he declared that it would be ensured that lands to be given for industrial purposes should be utilised for the same, and not be given at throw-away prices, as happened in the past.
Justifying the ban imposed on the allotment of land by the then governor Sindh Mohammadmian Soomro, Arbab described it as a right decision at the time when grave mismanagement and corruption was rampant in these affairs.
Dr Arbab Rahim was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of International Housing Industry Exhibition, organised by Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) in collaboration with Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) here at Expo Center on Friday.
He said that the government would also help the construction industry, by giving it land to accommodate the homeless people. However, he made it clear that if given, it would be ensured that these are used only for construction purposes.
"The government will also ensure that quality housing units are built on the lands allocated for construction, as well as completion of work in time," he added.
The chief minister pointed out that housing units are built as per plan throughout the world, but in Pakistan, particularly in Karachi, no such thing is practised. People did not spare even the amenity plots for commercial purposes.
"The new townships," he said, "are being built without giving any consideration to the basic amenities of life."
Regretting the haphazard growth in the housing sector, Arbab said, 'we should proceed ahead (in step) with the world by constructing quality housing units with a look of beauty.'
"Apart from urban centres, the government is also attentive to needs of housing units in rural areas of the province," he said, adding, "we are encouraging the rural population by giving them facilities to build their houses and live together in one village, rather than at scattered places." Commenting on the exhibition the CM said, 'it is reflection of conducive business environment in Karachi', saying that 'there is no law & order problem in Karachi, as being alleged by some elements.'
LG POLLS: He said that after local bodies elections, a new leadership would emerge and efforts would be made that instead of confrontation, they cooperate with the Federal and provincial governments and strive for development of the city and the province. "Amendments have been made in the Sindh Local Government Ordinance for smooth functioning of the system," he said.
He said: "The first phase of local bodies polls is going on smoothly and anybody, found involved in disturbing the peace, would be dealt with iron hands."
He said that DCOs have been directed to maintain clean environment in the big cities and remove the heaps of garbage lying on the roadsides.
"If I see any garbage anywhere, the concerned official would be fired immediately," he warned saying that "suspension is no punishment".
The chief minister declared that he would put the system in order and wherever is needed, he would be doing the "fine tuning".
Chief KBCA Brigadier A.S. Nasir (Retd) highlighting the objectives of the exhibition said that it would go a long way in development of this sector by proving houses to homeless people as well as growth in allied industries and generating employment.
Advisor to the Sindh Chief Minister on Local Government Wasim Akhtar also spoke.
Earlier, the chief minister was taken round the stalls of the exhibition and shown various projects in hand or about to come up in the future.
The inaugural ceremony of the housing exhibition did not leave a good impression on the visitors as mismanagement and improper arrangements for the ceremony turned the ambience noisy, making the speech of the provincial chief minister inaudible.
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