CMC CIRCLE WIDENED IN CITY Terrorist to be dealt with iron hands: Malik

The federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik yesterday said the jurisdiction of Crisis Management Cell has been widened in Karachi for peace in the city; the Cell will have cooperation of IB and other agencies. Addressing the journalists accompanied with Governor Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad and Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah at CM House, he said CMC will have link with governor and CM.
Rehman Malik said the intelligence network has been increased six-fold; the number of Rangers is also being augmented in city.
He said he met Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain twice who assured him of complete cooperation. Malik said he wants judicial investigations of the target-killings in Karachi, urging the people to make mobile video of such target-killings and send them to interior ministry. He said there is no operation underway in Karachi, only security arrangements are being made.
He said that the Government has taken strict notice of target killings in and concrete measures have been taken in this regard during the last 3 days.
Interior Minister declared that the government will have zero tolerance against target killings with the help of political parties while relevant agencies have been given a role and these would be totally halted.
He said that President has taken strict cognizance of this and that is why he is here on his instructions and he (Minister) is working on this matter for the last 3 days and had been in contact with the intelligence agencies.
Strict action will be taken against black sheep destabilizing the country; he announced adding that no sabotage conspiracy would be allowed to succeed. He said that remnants of anti-Pakistan elements that started destabilization from Malakand too will be eliminated.
“No one would be allowed to indulge in any anti-Pakistan act either from here or from anywhere else and we will deal with all those with an iron hand who would dare to challenge the writ of the government”.

KBCA starts operation against illegal farm houses

The Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) has started action against various commercial farm houses on agricultural and poultry land in Gadap Town, on the directive of Chief Controller of Buildings, Manzoor Kadir.
In this regard a KBCA demolition team razed illegal RCC bungalow-type rest house portion with the help of heavy machinery constructed in Sita Gadyano Farm House and Super Millennium Farm House.
The demolition operation was carried out under the supervision of TBO Gadap Town, Aqeel Ahmed Abidi, Controller of Demolition Capt (Rtd) Shahid Waseem, Deputy Controller Gadap Town, Waqar Ahmed and Assistant Controller Mazhar Shah.
A heavy police posse headed by TPO Gadap Rao Anwar, SHO Gulshan-e-Maymar Police Station Amanullah Marwat and SHO Gadap Sajjad Hyder was present to control any law and order situation.
A KBCA spokesman said yesterday that demolition action will continue against more illegal farm houses with the cooperation of area police.

Mustafa Kamal inspects on-going development works

City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal paid a detailed visit to various ongoing development projects yesterday during which he inspected the pace and quality of work and issued necessary directives to concerned officials.
EDO Works & Services Rasheed Mughal and other officers accompanied him during the visit.
During the visit of Corridor-III Nazim Karachi directed EDO Works to further expedite work on the construction of flyover at Shamama Shopping Mall. He also instructed to devise such a strategy that could ensure smooth flow of traffic around the site of the flyover while the work continues on24 hour basis.
On his visit to under construction road from Tool Plaza at Superhighway to Jinnah Terminal Shahrah-e-Faisal, the City Nazim was informed that already 60 percent of work on this project had been completed and the remaining work was underway rapidly.
Nazim Karachi directed concerned officials that the construction of green belt and installation of curb stones should also be done with the completion of road.
At Orangi Town Nazim Karachi directed EDO Works to accelerate pace of work on Shahrah-e-Qaddafi and also complete the construction of storm water drain without delay.
During his visit to Banaras Chowk Flyover Nazim Karachi directed concerned officials that the piling work for the bridge should complete in next four days after which the laying of girders and other works be done rapidly so that this project could be opened for traffic as soon as possible.
While inspecting the work of 6000 Road in New Karachi, City Nazim directed Additional EDO Revenue Matanat Ali Khan and Town Nazim Akhtar Hussain to take immediate steps for removal of all encroachments in the area so that the remaining work of this road could complete without further delay. Nazim Karachi was informed that the construction of bridge was already completed here.
The City Nazim also inspected the work on the under construction bridges at 10000 Road in Khuda Ki Basti. He was informed that the bridges would be completed very soon.
Nazim Karachi instructed EDO Works and Services to pay special attention to those tracks which have already been completed and ensure marking for zebra crossing and installation of cat eyes besides the coloring of footpaths wherever required.

Governor pays tribute to Kamal’s good governance

Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan has said that record development took place in Karachi during the last four years due to devolution of power to grass root level under the existing local bodies system.
“The importance of Karachi was internationally acknowledged with the construction of modern infrastructure, roads, under-passes and flyovers and it is a fact that no one owned Karachi in the past but Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal adopted this vision and set a high example of good governance, glorious administration and best delivery for which I pay him all the tributes”.
He expressed these views while speaking at a welcome ceremony organised by Journalists Forum, to felicitate City Nazim Mustafa Kamal and the City Thinkers Award ceremony held at Arts Council of Pakistan.
On the occasion Governor presented a gold medal on Forum’s behalf to Nazim Mustafa Kamal in recognition to his unparalleled performance.
Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad said Nazim Karachi worked hard with dedication and honesty and its positive effects reached the people directly and they got due facilities of life.
He said that Nazim’s vision received outstanding acknowledgement not only in Karachi but also in and out of Pakistan. He said one cannot find a parallel to development works that were carried out here during the last 4 years.
The Governor observed that Karachi kept expanding without a Master Plan but Nazim Mustafa Kamal gave the city an international identity besides preparing its first Master Plan and today the city has become the most appropriate for investment.
Addressing the ceremony Nazim Mustafa Kamal pointed out that service without discrimination is the philosophy of Quaid-e-Tehreek Altaf Hussain and we highlighted this very philosophy and showed the mettle.

PPP-MQM talks in final phase for post-LG setup

* PPP wants to allow MQM to continue having administrative control over Karachi

KARACHI: Both the major ruling partners in Sindh, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), have entered the decisive phase of talks to develop a consensus regarding the arrangement in the post- local governments’ dissolution scenario, especially in Karachi and Hyderabad.

The government had announced the dissolution of local bodies at the end of their tenure in August this year, and appointment of administrators in place of the incumbent nazims. The ruling PPP had started deliberations with its major coalition partner, the MQM, about developing a consensus over about the future administration of the Karachi and Hyderabad, because the MQM-backed nazims have administrative control over both the local governments.

On Friday, the provincial local government minister, Agha Siraj Durrani, who is a heavy weight in the provincial cabinet, called on the Sindh Governor, Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, at the Governor’s House to further discuss the issue. It was a follow-up meeting to the one held there between Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and the governor on Thursday night.

The governor left for Dubai soon after his meeting with the local government minister, while MQM leader Babar Ghauri also left for the same destination. According to official sources, the MQM leadership would hold a final meeting with Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik in Dubai over the issue today (Saturday).

It is pertinent to mention here that Malik had already held a meeting with MQM chief Altaf Hussain in London before Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s formal announcement about future of the local bodies.

According to sources close to the PPP, the party leaders want to accommodate the MQM by allowing it to continue having administrative control over the Karachi, and it is likely that a nominee of the MQM would be appointed as the administrator in place the city nazim. The sources said that the PPP, however, was not in favour to allow the MQM to continue its control over Hyderabad, and wants its own man as the administrator there.

The PPP government has also deferred a meeting of the district coordination officers (DCOs) that was scheduled for today at the office of the Sindh Chief Secretary Fazlur Rehman. According to the DCO, no new date has been given for the meeting. Official sources said that the meeting was aimed at issuing formal directives to the DCOs over taking over administrative control of district governments at the time of their dissolution.

The sources said the government has postponed the DCOs meeting because of the final meeting of the PPP and the MQM leaderships in Dubai, as it has to wait for its outcome. The sources have said a new date would be fixed for DCOs meeting now.

100 Political workers killed in Karachi, HRCP Report

According to six monthly statistics pertaining to Karachi city only maintained by Sindh Chapter of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, there was an increase of 21.34% (83% in cases of women and 162% in children) in the killings and accidental deaths of citizens of Karachi during the last six months of 2009 (deaths in road accidents not included).

During the first six months of 2008, a total of 773 deaths were recorded including that of 65 women and 32 children, while during the six months of 2009, it was 938 including that of 119 women and 84 children.

100 political activists were killed this year while last year it was 74. Out of which 38 the largest number of political workers of MQM (H) workers were killed. MQM (Muttahida Qaumi Movement) 28 workers killed, PPP 11, ANP 10, STPP 4, TTP 2, PML (N) 2, JI 2, PML (F) 1, JSQM (1), PPI (1)

98 persons were killed due to personal enmity while last year it was 76, 70 persons killed during robbery while last year it was 85, 51 persons kidnapped and killed while last year it was 96, 51 persons lost lives in target killing while last year it was 62, 3 persons died due to drinking of toxic wine (2009), 49 dead bodies were found while last year it was 57, 45persons killed in police encounter while last year it was 38, 29 laborers died at work while last year it was 26, 25policemen were killed while last year it was 26, 17 persons were killed on railway track while last year it was 16, 13 persons were killed due to stray bullets while last year it was 15, 09 persons were killed due to overdose of drugs while last year it was 4, 18 persons were killed in Lyari gang war while last year it was 39, 06 persons were killed by police torture while last year it was 04, 09 persons died in jail while last year it was 04, 04Security guards were killed while last year it was 10. 03 person was killed in bomb blast while last year it was 14. 08 people died due to negligence of different departments of government. 01 person was killed by relatives due to love marriage in the first half of the year. While 3 people were killed last year during this period. 49 people were killed in ethnic riots.

42 women were killed by unknown persons while last year it was 28. 84 children died in different incidents while last year it was 32. Among the 84, 02 children were killed by train. 02 children were killed in ethnic riots. 02 children were killed during Lyari gang war. 01 child was killed due to resistance against robbery.

More than100 political activists were killed and where as, most killings took place in the month of June. In the vicinity of North Karachi the biggest incident occurred due to fire erupted in which 20 children, 12 women and 10 men succumbed to death. The cause of inferno still not known.

KBCA takes notice of illegal constructions

Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) took stern notice of illegal construction of farmhouses on agriculture & poultry lands in Gadap town. It also took serious notice on beginning construction on a sealed off plot in Hawks-bay area yesterday.
According to details, the KBCA has taken stern notice and legal action against the farmhouses built on lands allotted for agriculture & poultry purposes. The lease period of many such plots on which farmhouses have been built is either expired or is near expiry. Such lands are also being used for different businesses, which is against the land utilization rules.
KBCA has informed public to contact relevant departments and verify before any kind of transaction in lands allotted for agriculture & poultry purposes; otherwise they, themselves, would be responsible for their loss.
KBCA took serious notice of illegal construction by the owner on a sealed plot No.24 and 25 of Phase-I, 28-K on Hawks-bay Road. An application has been submitted to the relevant police station to lodge an FIR against the plot owner.