KARACHI-Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar has directed the local government department to activate its various wings and purge them of corruption particularly the Sindh Building Control Authority and Water Board.“I am sorry to say that no layout plan of any building is approved with gratification and illegal hydrants have become a big source of easy money and all this is not acceptable and tolerable.”
SBCA: The CM said that the corruption in SBCA has earned a bad name for the government. “Every approval in SBCA costs [illegal] money and no layout plan is approved until and unless their palms are greased properly,” he lamented and added that the corruption was the main reason under which illegal construction was allowed. The CM warned the SBCA to be an efficient, honest, and hardworking organization and work hard to contribute to the quality construction in the city, otherwise, he would take such a strict action that would echo on its every floor. Justice Baqar directed local government minister Mubin Jumani to purge the SBCA of corruption. Justice Baqar told the SBCA management that he would pay a surprise visit to their office any time and would meet with the people there. KWSB: The chief minister said that the hydrants were set up to provide water to the colonies established temporarily but here in the city hydrants have become a source of minting money. Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab told the CM that there were seven official hydrants of the water board. At this, the CM said that they should have a proper system, procedure, and rules to operate.Mayor Karachi said that the water board with the support of the Police and Rangers has started a crackdown against illegal hydrants. He disclosed that the police have arrested 70 people for running illegal hydrants and impounded 17 water tankers. The CM directed the local govt dept to speed up operations against the illegal hydrants and did not allow such illegal trade. The CM expressed his displeasure that the gutters were overflowing and damaging the roads. He directed KWSB to ensure a proper functioning of their sewerage system. SSBMB: MD SSWMB told the meeting that approximately 11350 tons of solid waste was being generated in the city. MD SSWMB Imtiaz Shah said that 80 percent door-to-door collection in district South, 70 percent East, 80 percent Malir, 70 percent West, 80 percent Kiamari, 60 percent Korangi, and 55 percent Central was being carried out. The CM directed the SSWMB to make this city neat and clean. The sweeping, trash collection, and washing of the road system needed to be improved further. He said he would personally visit different areas of the city to inspect the state of cleanliness. The interim CM said that the entire cleanliness work, including door-to-door collection, manual and mechanical sweeping, road washing, attending community bins, and complaint management system have been outsourced to different companies. He added that the SSWMB has to get them to work efficiently for which the government was paying them. He urged the solid waste management to ensure proper sweeping and garbage lifting in the city. Local councils: Secretary Local Govt Manzoor Shaikh told the CM that there were 1120 union councils, 486 union committees, 142town committees, 36 municipal committees, 20 municipal corporations, 25 municipal corporations in Karachi, 22 district councils, two municipal corporations and one Metropolitan Corporation (KMC). The CM was told that a period of six months has been notified as a “Transition period” from 19th June (oath taking). The local govt dept has formed a Provincial Transition Cell under Technical Member PLGC. District Transition Teams have been formed under the chairmanship of concerned DCs (Except for the Karachi Division where the Commissioner is chairman). The Transition officers have been posted on defunct councils for a Transition period.The meeting was told that the Transition of Karachi and Shaheed Benazirabad has been completed. At this, the CM directed the local govt department to complete the transition by October 1, 2023, so that the local councils could start functioning in the larger interest of the people of the areas.
Meanwhile, Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (rtd) Maqbool Baqar during his surprise visit to Boat Basin police station said that he would not tolerate crime against children, women, minorities, and operations against drug mafia be intensified further. The CM visited two sub-registrar offices- Clifton-II and Saddar Town, he checked their record, and listened to the complaints of the people present there. Boat Basin PS: The interim chief minister paid a surprise visit to Boat Basin police station, and checked Roznamcha, the record room, and the wireless control room. To a question, the CM was told that the Boat Basin police had six mobiles, and they were patrolling. The CM through the control room contacted the mobile and asked for their location. One of the mobiles was present in the Bath Island area, and the other was at Shireen Jinnah Colony. The CM was told that the crime rate in the jurisdiction of the police was lower, except in Shireen Jinnah Colony and Hijrat Colony. The CM directed the police to act against the drug mafia. There are reports that shisha was openly used in Clifton and Defence areas and must be stopped. The SHO briefed the chief minister about the performance of the Boat Basin police and said that patrolling has been accelerated to control street crime.
The CM directed the DIG South Zone and SSP South Imran Qureshi, who after hearing about the CM’s visit reached the police station, to issue clear directives to the police that there was zero tolerance on violence against against children, women, and minorities. “We have to give respect to women, love to our children, and respect the minorities - this is how societies develop,” he said. He called the in-charge of the Stable of police horses and got him a briefing. The CM was told that they have 36 horses, and each horse eats 18 kg and all the horses were in good health, except two who were being treated by their Vet.
The CM expressed his displeasure on cleanliness condition of the police station. “I am sorry to say that almost all the public places, government offices, and police stations remained dirty,” he said. He directed the police officers to keep police stations clean or ready to face action.