KARACHI: Caretaker Chief Minister Sindh Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar directed transport department to pursue federal government to construct Green Line Corridor from Numasih to Radio Pakistan.

Contract of firm working on corridor has been cancelled, therefore it must be re-tendered so that important project of Green Line could be extended to Old Radio Pakistan building on M.A Jinnah Road.

He issued these directives while presiding over meeting to review civic issues here. Interim Minister LG Mubin Jumani, Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, Chairman P&D Shakil Mangnejo, Secretary Finance, Secretary local government, DGs of development authorities, MD SSWMB, all DCs and municipal commissioners of all towns attended meeting. 

Interim CM said Civic Centre was unique and beautiful building but these days it was look of being neglected. Its washrooms are so dirty and dilapidated that nobody would bother to use them, he said when development authority could not keep its own offices developed how it would undertake development of city?

CM directed DGA KDA to improve overlook and interior of Civic Centre. He was told that officers of provincial and federal government housed in Civic Centre were not paying rent. At this, CM directed Secretary of Local Government to start at source rent deduction from provincial government offices housed in Civic Centre and take strict against federal government offices working there.

He directed Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) DG to conduct an audit of all dangerous buildings, and report actions taken to prevent loss of lives in such buildings.

He directed DG to SBCA to report him about action taken by him against illegal constructions. “I want comprehensive report of builders whose buildings were seeping and were not interested in improving them,” he said and directed DG to cancel their construction licenses if they failed to improve their buildings.

Discussing condition of JPMC and Civil Hospital buildings, he directed Secretary Works to visit them and repair them. He added that these two hospitals were most important and needed proper attention of all concerned agencies.

He directed Mayor Karachi to visit Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and prepare detailed plan for its improvement and share same with him. He said that during transition period, various ghost employees have been put on payroll of local bodies such as Towns, Union council/committees. All municipal commissioners, local government and the finance department to check their employment records remove ghost employees and share report with him.

Interim CM directed all departments to withdraw order to give additional charges to an official. In case of utmost importance, additional charge could be allowed but this practice must be discouraged.

Encroachments: It was disclosed that most of pushcarts/thelas have encroached upon roads causing serious traffic jams. He directed deputy commissioners to regularise thelas so that their economic activities may could continue without encroaching upon roads.

He told DG Sindh Solid Waste Management Board that he was not satisfied with his performance. This beautiful city has turned into heaps of filth and garbage, CM said and added Sindh government was spending billions of rupees on cleanliness of city but even then there was no visible difference. He warned him to improve his performance.

Baqar directed all towns to start tree plantations and beautify their areas with proper cleanliness and functional drainage systems and remove all encroachments. Justice (retd) Baqar pointed out that earlier sapling was sold for Rs 3 but now forest department was charging Rs 6. This is unreasonable and this corrupt practice must be stopped.

He warned Director of Parks KMC to wake up and make this city beautiful with trees, plants and greenery. “I don’t know what parks department of KMC and other local bodies are doing,” he questioned.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 28 2023

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