Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar on Tuesday urged the Sindh Government to devolve powers and transfer funds to the local bodies' representatives. "Had the provincial government given needed powers to the local councils' stakeholders, infrastructure and sanitary condition of Karachi would not have been as deteriorated as they are today," he said speaking at a press conference at the Old Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Building.
He said Karachi's local government cannot administer its essential municipal functions due to lack of powers and funds. He said that the funds-starved KMC would not be able to resolve the city issues as long as the provincial government did not transfer powers to the LB stakeholders as per law.
He said the Supreme Court (SC) also raised concerns over the unsatisfactory and poor performances of different provincial departments including Sindh Solid Waste Management Board, KW&SB, North Sindh Urban Service Corporation's (NSUSC). "Neither the Sindh Government bothered to take steps to streamline these departments, nor willing to let the local bodies' representatives to work for the betterment of city," lamented Karachi mayor.
Akhtar said the parliamentary parties in the City Council were on same page regarding resolution of civic issues. He warned the Sindh Government that he would approach the apex court if his recommendations were not pondered upon. It is relevant to add here that on March 9 last, Karachi mayor had requested the Sindh Chief Minister to transfer Urban Planning, Solid Waste Management, Urban Transport and Mass Transit, Karachi Water & Sewerage Board, Building Control Authority, Karachi Development Authority, Master Plan Development to KMC under the powers conferred to the government by section 74(b) of SLGA, 2013.
Chairman DMC East Moeed Anwar, Chairman DMC Korangi Syed Nayyar Raza, Vice Chairman DMC Central Shakir Ali, MQM's Aslam Shah Afridi, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Amanullah Afridi, Jamaat-e-Islami's Junaid Mekati, JUI's Akbar Hashmi and Awami National Party's Alam Zaib were also present on the occasion.