Treasury demands KESC BoD in ECL, Opp insists on investigation of Nisar Baloch’s assassination

City Council echoes with Sugar, Power and Gutter baghicha issues:


November 18, 2009

By Irfan Aligi

KARACHI: City Council on its consecutive session on third day discussed various public issues with special attention to power and sugar crisis while the issue of slain Nisar Baloch was also discussed.
The treasury benches Abdul Jalil said on a point of order that the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) was still sheding load during winter by avoiding purchasing furnace oil just for the sake of saving hefty amounts.
Jalil further said that the KESC was directly concerned to people of the city so its affairs should also be made public with complete transparency and until it was not done, the members of KESC’s Board of Directors should be placed under exit control list.
Leader of the house Muhammad Asif Siddiqui on point of order said that the federal government had announced import of tones of sugar at the rate of Rs 65 per kg, which would be provided to the general public at the subsidized rates of Rs 40 per kg.
Siddiqui questioned why despite that hefty subsidy, people were starving of sugar because sugar was not available in city. He further questioned to whom the subsidy was offered.
Arshad Qureshi of the treasury benches had on point of order raised the issue of sugar crisis and claimed that it had never been so worst and longest in the history of Pakistan as it was at present.
Qureshi added that the Punjab government had ensured sale of sugar at Rs 40 but the citizens of the city that provides more than 70 percent revenue to the country have been rendered helpless.
Sarwat Arif of the treasury benches said that sugar crisis was a public matter at the grass root level. Henceforth, the City District Government Karachi should make efforts to address the issue.
Syed Tahavvur Rifat of the treasury benches claimed that citizens were compelled by the utility stores to buy goods worth Rs 500 so that they could be entitled for purchase of sugar.
Jamaat-e Islami’s (JI) Al-Khidmat Group (AKG) leader Rafique Ahmed claimed that citizens were not allowed to buy sugar at the utility stores due to reason that packs of men had occupied the stores and only allowed those people to buy sugar that belonged to them.
The house also debated on the issue of withdrawal of 134 union council secretaries.
Speaking on point of order Jalil claimed that the withdrawal of 134 UC secretaries was a planned conspiracy to sabotage the image of the Haq Parast leadership that ensured complete cleanliness and quick disposal of the offals during last Eid Ul Adha.
Jalil said that the Sindh Local Government Department (SLGD) had directly asked banks concerned to freeze the UC funds, which would crush municipal and other activities at the UC level during forthcoming Eid Ul Adha days.
The treasury Benches demanded SLGD to withdraw the notification immediately.
JI AKG member Imran Baghpatti claimed that withdrawal of 134 UC secretaries was unlawful and for that purpose, the issue of pre-audit was fabricated. The freezing of UC funds would make a mess during Eid Ul Adha days.
However, Baghpatti claimed that SLGD had not issued any direct orders to banks for freezing the UC funds.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Awam Dost Group (ADG) Deputy Opposition Leader Yousuf Naz also joined Baghpatti with a similar instance as he also claimed that no such orders were issued to banks but the Town Municipal Officers were issued letters with instruction for onward action.
Meanwhile, the opposition members were shown copy of such letter as a proof.
PPP ADG deputy opposition leader Jumman Darwan on point of order said Nisar Baloch was killed because he had been active against occupation of Gutter baghicha.Darwan demanded Pakistan People’s Party and Muttahidda Qaumi Movement that they ensure complete protection of Gutter Baghicha land from land mafia so that further killing should be prevented murder of Nisar Baloch should be investigated under the auspices of high level committee.