JI urges CM to devolve powers to UCs
Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Sirajul Haq has called upon Sindh’s Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar to decentralise administrative and financial authority to union councils (UCs) in Karachi, in line with the spirit of the 1973 Constitution.
He made this demand during a press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq, the JI’s Karachi headquarters, on Thursday. He was accompanied by JI Karachi’s Ameer Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman and other party leaders, including Usama Razi and Munim Zaffar. Town chairmen and vice-chairmen from JI were also in attendance.
While acknowledging CM’s reputation, the JI chief pointed out that the transfer of powers to UCs had not been realised during the interim period.
Discussing the challenges faced by Karachi and its residents, he lamented that the city, once known as the ‘City of Lights,’ has now been plagued by a multitude of problems and crises. He cited electricity, water and sewage issues as the top concern and highlighted the problems related to infrastructure, road networks, street crime, lawlessness, and inflation.
Sirajul Haq emphasised that a mega city like Karachi required approximately 35,000 buses to meet its mass transit needs. However, he criticised the PPP government in Sindh for providing only a handful of buses, adorned with various colours and operating on limited routes.
The JI leader attributed the prevailing crises to the abuse of power and the use of unconstitutional means by the ruling elite. He noted that inflation and lawlessness were affecting the entire country.
Haq criticised the practice of electing individuals based on their financial resources rather than principles, leading to a rise in poverty levels, with over 40 per cent of the population now living in poverty. He highlighted the economic challenges faced by Islamabad, despite abundant national resources.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th, 2023.