MQM-P protests water shortage

Demands of Centre, provincial govt to ensure citizens are provided basic facilities

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement - Pakistan (MQM-P) Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has said that the demonstration on Monday was not only a protest gathering but a warning. "We will not drag the thieves to the courts, we will bring them here on the roads".

The MQM-P leader expressed these thoughts in his address to a protest gathering at Karachi Press Club.

Karachi is the seventh largest city in the world based on the falsified results of the census, said Siddiqui, and the largest city in the world if all its population is accounted for. It is a city which provides 70% of the federal government's revenue and 92% of the provincial government's revenue. "We are only demanding water," said the party convener, adding that they believe the state has the status of a mother who has the responsibility to feed her children. However, the state is depriving the people of the basic facilities.

The MQM P leader urged the citizens to come out in defence of their rights and to ensure a bright future for their children. Today, the largest city of the country is presenting the sight of an unorganised village. He said that K-IV was scheduled to be completed in 2011 but after long delays, the cost of the project has increased manifold. "We should have completed K-V project by now," he added.

The corrupt Sindh government is only working to loot the country. The federal government is responsible to ensure the protection of citizens subjected to injustice by a province, said Dr Maqbool, adding that as per Article 149 of the Constitution, the country's prime minister is supposed to take action in this regard.

Taking to the streets: MQM continues protest against water shortage

Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar said that Karachi was being subjected to injustice despite being the largest city of the country. The protest is just the beginning he said, adding that those they put their trust in have never met their expectations. Those who could not even give 10 buses to Karachi or Sindh in ten years cannot be expected to develop the province. "I have the mandate for Karachi as I am its elected mayor, but I place no hope in the PPP and the provincial government," said Akhtar. He added that Sindh would be destroyed if the PPP government continues to rule.

The mayor said that their blood is tainted with corruption and the remarks of the higher courts are an eye-opener for everyone. Karachi earns Rs350 billion for the government but not even 50% of it is spent on the city. Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) is not given its due powers, funds and staff salaries.

Raabta Committee member Khawaja Izhar maintained that the MQM-P was the only party which represented the poor and the middle class of the city and it had raised the voice of its citizens on all platforms, including the Sindh Assembly, the Senate and the National Assembly, but the Sindh government remained unmoved.

Others present on the occasion included MQM-P Deputy Convener Kunwar Naveed Jamil, Deputy Convener Nasreen Jalil, member of MQM-P coordination committee and Deputy Mayor Arshad Hassan and Raabta committee member, Muhammad Hussain and Arif Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 2^nd, 2019.