Karachi: Pasban e Pakistan President Altaf Shakoor has said that if the megacities of Pakistan are duly recognized in the constitution and get their due powers and resources, our country would further progress and prosper.
Talking to different delegations at the Pasban Secretariat here Monday, he said Karachi is the revenue engine of Pakistan but it is not being given its due share in funds and resources. He said the Karachiites are being pushed against the wall, adding the megacity would only get justice when its megacity status is duly recognized in the constitution. He said Pasban has already begun a nation-wide campaigning for urgent constitutional amendment for paving way for the megacity rights.
Shakoor said some crooks who used to run motorcycles have become billionaires by betraying and selling the rights of Karachiites. He said these sham politicians are now moving in bulletproof cars, but the fate of Karachiites is yet to be changed.
He said any city with a population of 10 million or more is called a megacity and presently Karachi and Lahore are the only megacities of Pakistan. He regretted that as the constitution does not recognize the concept of megacity, hence these cities are not getting the resources and development that they duly deserve. He said Lahore is much better as the Punjab government is giving it a special focus, but Karachi, the largest city of Pakistan, is still an orphaned and backward city. He said as per international accepted standards and traditions of megacity development, both these cities, especially Karachi, need more funds, independent administration and elected police chief.
He said when Karachi is recognized as the megacity in the constitution of Pakistan there would be no need of any Muhajir or Sindhi card. He said the constitutional recognition of megacities would automatically end the slogan of a separate administrative province in Sindh. He asked the rulers to own Karachi and stop looting it with both hands. He said now the Karachiites would not be fooled by the so-called champions of the Karachi rights, who waste no moment to sell this city and its mandate.
He said Karachi needs special funds, special administration and special policing on the pattern of the other megacities of the world like London, New York, Tokyo and Paris. He said with the constitutional recognition of the mega cities, Karachi and Lahore would elect their own police chiefs and they would form their own megacity urban administrations.
He said the urban and rural Waderas are looting Karachi and snatching its resources. He said in Sindh corruption has broken in all records and this province is the most corrupt province of Pakistan. He said we have no hope that these corrupt ruling Waderas would do any good for Karachi. He said for a fast development of Karachi, this megacity needs its own administration. He said the city has a huge talent and these urban educated and talented people would run the megacity in a better manner than the present set of corrupt and semi-literate Waderas.
He said the Pasban has already begun the mission to get the megacity rights for Karachi and we would heave the sigh of relief when this megacity is counted amongst the most developed megacities of the world.
On the occasion, Pasban Pakistan general secretary Usman Moazzam, vice president Tariq Chandiwala and others were also present.