KARACHI: There would be an issue of sitting space for the new elected and opposition members of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation-KMC in the historical city council hall after Local Government Elections.

There is no more further capacity for the extended members at city council hall. The historical city council hall at Old KMC Building is being renovated, but not for experiencing and conducting new council sessions, but to preserve it as a historic place for future. The rooftop of city council hall is being renovated, as the roof is leaking during monsoon rains. "The rainwater is dropping down from roof to the floor of city council hall, which need some repair and maintenance work," a KMC senior officer told.

He says the plaster on the covered area of city council hall is being continued and will be completed in a month. The renovation work is continued for last two months. The hall was last renovated and extended in August 2016 before the LG polls.

In 2016, the city council hall was extended for the capacity of 308-members.

There was 176 members' house from 2001-2009.    "It is impossible to continue council session in a historic city council hall after the LG polls-2022," says KMC spokesperson Ali Hasan Sajid. With the new delimitation and amendments in SLGA-2013, the count of city council members has reached up to 367. Sajid said: if the LG elections would be held according to the same delimitation, then there would be an increase of 59 council members in the existing strength.

 "There is no more space left for expansion in city council hall and if the LG polls would be held with the same formula, then there is no option left rather to close the city council hall and preserve it as historical space," Sajid added.

WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT OPTION?

The KMC spokesperson says there was a meeting held few days ago in which some options were came under discussion for a space to hold new city council sessions. Three places have been spotted for holding new city council sessions including Al Markaz-e-Islami Building located in Federal B Area, Baradari at Polo Ground at Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road and a lawn situated inside Old KMC Building on temporary basis. The KMC spokesperson said: the authorities are planning to find out a dedicated space for establishment of new council hall in any particular area of Karachi, where the traffic flow is normal, so that the members could not face traffic jam issue in order to attend city council session. The first city council session of an elected body was held at city council hall in Old KMC Building in 1933. Jamshed Nusserwanjee Mehta-the first elected Karachi Mayor was chaired that historic city council session.

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 12 2022

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