KARACHI - Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has instructed all administrative, local bodies, development authorities, and the police to create a plan to eliminate encroachments from footpaths, service roads, green belts, walkways, and streets to restore the beauty and sanctity of Karachi. “We as a Sindh government are strengthening the local bodies so that this city can be made liable but under the nose of concerned authorities, encroachments are made in their areas to wash away all the government’s efforts.” He issued these instructions while presiding over a meeting to discuss the issues of encroachments and resolve them here at the CM House.
Provincial Ministers - Nasir Shah, Saeed Ghani, Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, PSCM Agha Wasif, Chairman P&D Najam Shah, Commissioner Karachi Hassan Naqvi, Adl IG Karachi Imran Yakoob, Secretary Local Govt Khalid Hyder Shah, Secretary Finance Fayaz Jatoi, Secretary Transport Asad Zamin, MD SSWMB Imtiaz Shah, DG SBCA Rasheed Solangi, CEO Water Board Salahuddin, DG KDA all the deputy commissioners. Encroachments on walkways, Green belts and Streets: The chief minister said that encroachments on footpaths, Green Belts, walkways and streets have defaced the city and caused serious issues in the flow of traffic even for the pedestrians but no authority was ready to remove them. Shah categorically said that no institution has the authority to allow encroachment on the Green belts, footpaths and walkways.
“How, some private offices have installed their generators on the footpath under the nose of the concerned local body and the deputy commissioner,” he questioned. He directed all the administration, KMC, Town Municipal Corporations (TMCs), the police, and the development authorities to clarify their role and responsibilities. The local Govt Minister Saeed Ghani and Mayor Karachi said that the local bodies had their anti-encroachment wings but were not as active as they should have.
The CM directed the KMC, TMCs, and administration to remove encroachments from the public spaces with the support of the police. “I would suggest you give appropriate time to the encroachers and then launch a vigorous operation,” he directed the concerned authorities. Removal of Debris: It was pointed out that debris and construction materials were left on the foot-baths, service roads and even the main roads.
The CM directed SBCA to get an undertaking from all the builders while permitting them that they would not use public spaces for dumping the construction material. Meanwhile, the administration would launch a drive against such government and private builders, impose heavy fines against them and seize their material. The CM said that different authorities such as KMC, KDA, TMCs and others were granting road-cutting permission and collecting charges but have failed to reconstruct the roads.
The CM directed the chief secretary to get the charges for road cutting revised and evolve a mechanism to reconstruct the dug-up road within three months. He said that there must be a certification procedure. The meeting observed that various illegally charged parking have been developed on the roads.
This illegal parking is causing serious traffic issues. The CM directed the local government and other concerned authorities to notify the parking officially in consultation with the traffic police and remove all the unauthorized. The participants told the CM that most of the shopping plazas have their parking areas, but they have converted them into god owns and have rented them out.
Murad Ali Shah directed the SBCA to share the list of the shopping plazas having parking areas with the Commissioner Karachi. The Commissioner through his DCs and SSPS would launch operations against them and restore their parking areas. Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that without the unwavering trust of the public, it is difficult for democracies to thrive, therefore, it is crucial to provide efficient service delivery and good governance directly to the people to rebuild their confidence.
“If the public does not support public servants, it should serve as a warning for them to work with conviction and personal commitment.” This he said while speaking at the graduation ceremony of the participants of the 35th Senior Management Course (BS-19 officers), who have completed their 16-week long Course today at this prestigious National Institute of Management (NIM), Karachi. DG NIM Dr.
Lubna Ayub, Chief Instructor Khalique Shaikh, Chief Instructor, Mid-Career Management Course (MCMC), and others. The CM congratulated all 38 officers, including two female participants, for completing their course. Mr Shah said that opting for public service as a profession was more of a personal choice and voluntary commitment than a mundane occupation.
The CM said that the present SMC cohort included officers from various cadres and groups of the federal government who have come from all corners of Pakistan, and the Sindh Government as well. He said the Sindh government would continue to own the NIM Karachi as our very Institute, and would further strengthen linkages and collaborate with it, and extend all necessary support for the fulfillment of professional needs of the participants as much as possible. Murad Shah said that the mandatory requirement for promotion to BS-20 positions has provided all the officers with a platform to update their knowledge base and brush up their skills, enabling them to address policy issues and service delivery challenges.
The CM said that the DG NIM and faculty the trainee officers have been provided with all possible resources to enhance their professional capacities and personal transformation. “I am also confident that the National School of Public Policy (NSPP) syllabus containing themes on public policy, public financial management, strategic planning and management, leadership and communication skills, and research and analysis techniques, must have enabled officers to face up to the public sector challenges in the age of climate change, the economic downturn, geopolitical uncertainties, domestic unrest, and fast-changing society,” he said. A public servant neither routinely switches jobs nor her dividends are as financially attractive as in the private business or corporate sector despite having competitive qualifications and professional abilities, the CM said and added that he was sure that the public servant would up to their commitment with confidence without fear or reward.
According to the CM, the key function of professional civil service in any society is to implement the policies of the sitting government with full commitment, devotion, and professional acumen. Realizing the massive challenges being faced by the citizens, the Government of Sindh is making all-out efforts to provide maximum relief and public service to the people of Sindh province by investing in education, health, communication, infrastructure, housing, and social protection, the chief minister said. Murad Shah said that his government would continue to invest in new development projects so that maximum economic activity was generated both in rural and urban areas.
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