RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Chief organiser of the Karachi chapter of Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Tariq Chandiwala has said that the Sindh budget is nothing but a jugglery of figures.

He said Karachi has been neglected badly in the budget of the province. The pace of work on the lone mega-project underway in the city, K-4, is very slow. He asked why last year Rs 73 billion was not spent on uplift projects.

Expressing dismay over the cold shoulder given yet again to Karachi, Mr Chandiwala said the mega-city that provides huge revenue to the national kitty itself is facing huge problems. Although the city plays the role of a backbone of the national economy, it is being treated unfairly.

He was of the opinion that heaps of garbage, overflowing gutters, broken roads, poor healthcare facilities, shortage of electricity, water and gas and numerous other problems in the city are a slap across the face of the government and the administration.

Infrastructure of the country’s commercial and economic hub is in a shambles and its basic civic issues stand unresolved, which puts a big question mark over the performance of the provincial and local governments, he said.

Mr Chandiwala regretted that the federal, provincial and local governments are not ready to take responsibility of the mega-city.

He said the main hindrance in this regard is the PPP leadership which controls the resources of Sindh, including Karachi.

The PDP leader said the mega-city is neglected in every budget. The administrative and financial control of KMC, KWSB, KDA and Solid Waste Management Board is in the hands of Sindh government.

The politicians controlling the provincial and local governments instead of resolving issues of public are busy in power struggle. There is no system in place to resolve the problems of the mega-city.

Karachiites are always fooled in the name of local government system. If funds are allocated for progress and prosperity of other parts of the country from the revenue generated by Karachi why these same funds are not allocated for the mega-city as well.

He said allocation of only Rs 23 billion for healthcare is utterly sufficient. He was of the view that setting aside Rs 34 billion for education is unnecessary as parents don’t send their children to government schools. This budget is simply embezzled.

He said giving subsidy to poor farmers is welcome but asked why tax has not been levied on feudal lords.