Minister announces formation of panel to resolve issues facing KATI

KARACHI: Sindh Minister of Local Government, Housing Town Planning, and Public Health Engineering, Saeed Ghani, announced the formation of a committee composed of municipal officers dedicated to resolving the issues of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI).

This announcement was made during a meeting with industrialists and journalists at KATI on Saturday.

During the meeting, Saeed Ghani emphasised the necessity of uninterrupted electricity for bill-paying citizens, condemning the widespread practice of load shedding as an injustice. “It is unfair for those who diligently pay their electricity bills to suffer from load shedding due to the misdeeds of a few. K-Electric must implement a system that ensures consistent power supply to responsible consumers while taking stringent action against defaulters and thieves,” he asserted.

Ghani acknowledged that the electricity crisis in Karachi is beyond the control of local authorities, with K-Electric’s policies often seeming incomprehensible. He highlighted the ongoing large-scale development projects in Karachi, describing them as unprecedented and vital for the city’s economic growth. He also pointed out that industrial development is crucial for improving labour conditions and achieving overall economic progress.

The meeting saw the attendance of several notable figures, including KATI President Johar Qandhari, Deputy Patron in Chief Zubair Chhaya, Senior Vice President Nighat Awan, Vice President Muslim Mohammadi, Chairman Standing Committee for Municipalities Masood Naqi, CEO KITE Limited Zahid Saeed, Former Presidents and Chairman Danish Khan, Gulzar Firoz, Farhan-ur-Rehman, SM Yahya, Ehtishamuddin, Sheikh Umer Rehan, Sheikh Fazal-e-Jalil along with DG SBCA Abdul Rashid Solangi, DG KDA Shujaat Hussain, MD Solid Waste Imtiaz Shah, MC KMC Afzal Zaidi, Town Chairman Korangi Naeem Sheikh and various local government officials and industrialists. The committee’s formation aims to streamline the resolution of KATI’s numerous issues, particularly those related to town limits, revenue collection, and trade licenses.

Addressing the boundary disputes affecting KATI industrialists, Ghani mentioned that these issues are currently under the jurisdiction of a local government commission, which will make decisions impartially and without external pressure. He reiterated the need for a unified and fair system to handle these disputes, ensuring that industrial activities are not hampered.

KATI President Johar Qandhari voiced the industrialists’ concerns, particularly regarding the overlapping claims from Korangi, Landhi, and Shah Faisal Colony on revenue collection and trade licenses. “We receive notices from multiple towns, and now the KMC has also become a claimant. This confusion must be resolved. We can only pay taxes to one authority, not three or four,” he said, highlighting the need for a streamlined tax collection process.

Qandhari also underscored the severe water and sewage issues plaguing the industrial area, pointing out that local bodies have failed to address these problems adequately. He called for the formation of a dedicated committee or board, including all stakeholders, to effectively tackle these challenges.

Deputy Patron-in-Chief Zubair Chhaya praised Saeed Ghani’s leadership, attributing the improved efficiency of the ministry to his efforts. Chhaya advocated for stricter laws to penalize littering and suggested the implementation of desalination plants, akin to those in the Middle East, to alleviate Karachi’s water shortage.

CEO of KITE Limited, Zahid Saeed, highlighted the successful utilization of a grant from the Sindh government, which facilitated significant improvements in the Korangi industrial area. He requested additional funding to further benefit both the business community and the general public.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024