Political parties meet to resolve Karachi’s issues

The three major political parties of Karachi, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan (MQM-P) met to discuss the city’s issues in two separate meetings that were held in Islamabad and Karachi.
Sources said that it was decided in the meetings to form an advisory committee and a liaison committee to solve the metropolis’ problems.
The Chief Minister of Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, Saeed Ghani and Nasir Shah represented the provincial government at one of the meetings.
Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, federal ministers Asad Umar and Ali Zaidi, and Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar were in attendance as well.
Sources further said that National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) chairman Lieutenant-General Mohamed Afzal was at the meeting as well.
Discussions revolved around the role of the NDMA in the development of Karachi.
It was decided that members of the Centre and Sindh government would form an advisory committee to resolve the city’s issues.
The MQM-P’s Aamir Khan said in a tweet that Karachi’s problems cannot be resolved without first granting full authority to the locals.
“The problem of Karachi cannot be solved until the local people have full authority. This will only be possible when new provinces are established across the country, including Karachi,” he said.
PPP leader Raza Rabbani said that Karachi is a part of Sindh and will continue to remain so, adding that the PTI had previously issued a statement as well on the separation of the city from the province.
Speaking at a press conference after the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting, the former Senate chairman said that these statements from the PTI leadership were not new.
“Ever since the PPP government has been formed (in Sindh) and the PTI came to power (nationally), such statements have been issued,” he said, adding that the PTI has previously issued statements as well on imposing governor rule in Sindh.
“There is nothing new about this,” he stressed.
Rabbani, without naming anyone in particular, said that “some people want to place Karachi under the Centre and seize its revenue”.
Criticising the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the PPP leader said that the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s judgment in the Khawaja brothers case had “exposed” the anti-graft body.
He said that the Human Rights Watch (HRW) had also “exposed” the NAB.
Clarifying that the party had not changed its stance on the 18th Amendment, Rabbani said that the party will “not compromise” on it.
Separately, Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah welcomed the meeting between the PTI, the PPP and the MQM-P as a step in the right direction for the betterment of Karachiites.
“The collaboration between the PPP, the PTI and the MQM-P to work for the betterment of Karachi will prove to be an important milestone,” he said.
He added that Sindh, especially Karachi, was developed tremendously under the leadership of PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
“The Sindh government will welcome every person or political party that wants to play a part in developing Karachi,” Shah added.
Referring to the recent monsoon spell which wreaked havoc in the metropolis, the provincial minister said the Sindh government had welcomed the Centre and the NDMA in its efforts to clear Karachi’s nullahs.
“Steps taken by the Sindh chief minister for Karachi cannot be forgotten,” he added.
The meeting between the three political parties to resolve Karachi’s issues came after the Supreme Court of Pakistan lashed out at the Sindh government over the lack of cleanliness in Karachi, stating in its remarks that the provincial authorities had “completely failed”.