PPP, PTI, MQM-P join hands for development of Karachi

The agreement was reached during hours-long meeting of the three stakeholders

KARACHI (Dunya News) – In an important development, Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) have joined hands for the development of Karachi.

The agreement was reached during hours-long meeting of the three stakeholders. An important figure of the Pakistan Army was also present in the meeting.

Asad Umer, Ali Zaidi, Waseem Akhtar, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Saeed Ghani and Nasir Shah attended the meeting.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered National Disaster Management Authority to clean all the drains and nullahs in Karachi, remove encroachments and submit report to it within three months in this regard.

A three member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Gulzar Ahmed heard the case pertaining to encroachments on drains and nullahs in the city at Karachi Registry on Wednesday.

The Court expressed dismay over report presented by Commissioner Karachi with respect to removal of encroachments on nullahs and drains.

The CJP Gulzar asked Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shallwani about the ongoing cleaning work on Karachi sewerage drains. At which, the CJP Gulzar asked why NDMA hasn’t completed cleaning work of other Karachi drains?

“This was the responsibility of Sindh government to clean Karachi’s nullahs, but the centre intervened after the provincial government failed to clean Karachi drains,” the chief justice remarked.

Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Javed Khan told the apex court that the federal government is deliberating on different legal and constitutional options to save Karachi.

“Karachi has become an orphan city at the moment. Pakistan will be destroyed if Karachi is ruined.”

While expressing displeasure over the performance of the provincial government, the chief justice said that the government has ruined the city in the last 10 years and did nothing for the better of people.

“What is the responsibly of the Sindh government if everything has to be done by Supreme Court?” the CJP remarked and further said, “SC should run Karachi Circular Railway, we should build road, remove billboards and garbage from the city. If SC has to do everything then what’s left for the government”, he questioned.

The SC directed NDMA to clean all Karachi drains and remove encroachments around them in three months. The court also ordered the Sindh government to fully assist NDMA in the cleaning process and encroachments drains.

It is pertinent to mention here that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was tasked to clean the sewerage drains in Karachi by Prime Minister Imran Khan, last month.