Daily Times

Mayor Waseem Akhtar got emotional with tears on Monday while addressing the last presser of his tenure, claiming that the Sindh government didn’t let us do the development work in the city.

“I have been “crying” for the last four years over Karachi’s administrative issues, but neither the president, nor the prime minister, chief secretary or local government minister responded to any of his letters”, he complained, adding that he had written “thousands” of letters.

The mayor stated while addressing the media at the head office of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), that he had come to power with a mandate larger than the one secured by the Sindh chief minister. He deplored that despite having that mandate, no one has been listening to him.

“I am not being dramatic. I have spent the last four years in stressed because of the Sindh government and the chief minister.

“Karachi feeds you and your children. You have set up business here after coming from different districts adding that it has been Paris for you. I have seen the houses you have bought in Defence and Clifton. Why are you inflicting torture on the people of the city?”, he asked

Talking about his performance in limited respources Akhtar told that the 62-acre Kidney Hill Park had been opened for public from Wednesday. He said he had also focused on the restoration of historical places, Empress Market, Karachi Zoo, Light House, during his tenure.

He disclosed that these wadera-minded people do not want a local government system because this system makes democracy stronger.

Before few days while talking to reporters he had shared that his tenure was about to end on August 28 and he was not foreseeing the next local government elections to be held anytime soon.

On other hand Mayor Waseem Akhar has been active with his chairmen to start the the construction work of roads, carpeting of streets and the revamp of sewerage lines in different areas of metropolis.

He is promising to the citizens to resolve the sewerage-related issues and constructing new road.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) has been thrice in power as Mayor in Karachi. First of all Dr. Farooq Sattar became a mayor in Karachi and he completed his tenure from 9th January 1988 to 27th July 1992 after him Syed Mustafa Kamal got chance from 17th October 2005 to February 2010 and then Waseem Akhtar who is the current mayor from 30th August 2016 to 28th August 2020.

Despite having such a long period of ruling in city MQM-P could not deliver as per expectations. It is a pity that the financial capital of Pakistan has been allowed to become a hellhole for its citizens.

Karachiites ask that what MQM-P or its Mayor has done for us in his tenure adding that yet drinking water is not available in so many area of Karachi living standard of Karachiites got down as compare to previous.

After every monsoon rainfall majority of the roads and streets of the metropolis are filled with sewage water, which has damaged the infrastructure and continues to cause a traffic gridlock on almost all the main arteries of the city.

As per experts there are two main reasons for accumulation of sewerage water on the roads: a deteriorated sewerage infrastructure and blockage of sewerage lines by rags, bags of sand and solid bricks placed by some construction units.

The obstruction of the sewerage system is becoming a sensitive issue with every passing day with the responsible parties; Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, DMCs and KMC have not done anything to remedy the problem.

Before few days regarding local government elections, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had announced that his party’s government in Sindh would control the administrative affairs of Karachi following the completion of term of the elected local governments.

After Mustafa Kamal’s tenure ended in 2010, PPP-govt took five years to hold the LG elections across the province which was on the orders of the Supreme Court in 2015 and Local Government election held on 5 December 2015.

The mayor election was held on 24 August 2016 and as a result, Waseem Akhtar was elected as the city’s mayor by securing 208 out of 294 (305 Total) votes in his favor. Pakistan People’s party candidate secured second position with total 100 votes.