HYDERABAD: Parliame­ntarians of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) from Hyderabad have demanded the federal and Sindh governments announce a development package of Rs100 billion (bn) for Hyderabad on the pattern of one announced for Karachi.

They said the Karachi package validated the MQM-P’s stance that the problems of urban centres could not be resolved without releasing funds and delegating powers to local governments (LGs) for which the centre and province would have to play their role simultaneously.

Addressing a press conference at the local press club on Sunday, MNA Sabir Kaimkhani, and MPAs Nadeem Siddiqui, Rashild Khilji and Nasir Qureshi also paid tributes to those who sacrificed their lives while defending this country on the Defence Day.

They said Karachi needed the package as it contributed Rs2,600 billion annually to national exchequer and the federal and provincial governments announced it after consulting the stakeholders. Demanding a Rs100bn package for Hyderabad, they said everyone knew that no new development work was seen there in the past 12 years because both governments had neglected the city.

They said Hyderabad needed better civic amenities, a system of solid waste management, filter and sewerage plants and protection wall along river Indus dykes etc. They said the city had served as capital of Sindh and it had cultural and historic significance. The two governments should provide funds for urban centres and introduce a legislation for it, they urged.

They said the funds collected under motor vehicle and property taxes, income of the Sindh Building Control Authority and octroi tax should be transferred to the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.

They said the Sindh government was empowered legally to appoint an administrator, but everyone knew that the Pakistan Peoples Party did not believe in merit and took decisions on the basis of personal likes and dislikes.

They said administrators with good reputation should be appointed if service delivery through LGs is to be ensured.

If the Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) was constituted, every district would get its funds to embark upon a new journey of development, but the PFC was not announced deliberately, the observed.

The legislators said the management of the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company had met party parliamentarians as result of an MQM-P’s protest, but after a meeting with the Hesco chief, load-shedding duration had been increased, which showed that the power utility was not ready to make amends.

They said the third chief was posted at the power utility within three months and Hesco’s performance was the worst among all distribution companies.

They warned that the party would again hold a protest against Hesco if it failed to improve its working.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2020