Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister (CM) for Information Barrister Murtaza Wahab visited the control and command center (CCC) at Karachi Commissioner Office on Tuesday where he received a briefing regarding the center and its operations.
While briefing Barrister Wahab, Commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani said that CCC was playing a vital role in emergency and crisis situations. He said that CCC served as a liaison between the Sindh government departments and Commissioner Control Room.
The Karachi Commissioner informed the provincial advisor that integrated Rescue 1299 had been enhanced. He said that he had discussed the matter at different forums and established that it was important to have a rapid response center. He further said that it was important to employee technical and knowledgeable staff at such a center and equip them with electronic equipment so they could monitor information.
While talking to media after his visit provincial advisor said that strict security arrangements had been made on the Chehlum and Police, Rangers and other law enforcement agencies were put on alert.
Barrister Murtaza Wahab also slammed Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government for interfering in state institutions and not letting them work independently. He said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) had made a mockery of its own accountability system by interfering in it. He said that action were being taken on verbal orders in new Pakistan and PTI government gave no importance to rules and regulations.
He advised the PTI leadership to implement what it had been promising with the people of Pakistan. Responding to a query he said that the PPP had never got any benefit of NRO. He added that Shiekh Rasheed was himself a part of the government that approved NRO. He advised Shiekh Rasheed to avoid making predictions as all his predictions in last ten years had proved false and absurd.
During his visit at Control and Command Centre Barrister Wahab himself made a call and registered a complaint against acute of water supply and within a few seconds he checked the complaint and showed his satisfaction over the response. He also said that there was no female working in the Control and Command Room and directed to Karachi commissioner to appoint female employees also because Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) believed in gender equality.
The Advisor also visited the Frere Garden, Abdullah Haroon Road, Metropole Hotel Road without any security and directed Karachi commissioner to remove cables, telephones and other wires from the sites.
Furthermore, he directed Karachi Commissioner to take measures for the beautification of Karachi. Information Secretary Abdul Rasheed Solangi, Press Information Director Zeenat Jehan Siddiqui also accompanied Barrister Wahab on his visits.
Published in Daily Times, October 31st 2018.