KARACHI, Dec 20: A dull 40-minute session of the city council on Saturday hurriedly adopted four resolutions, including the one authorising a Rs5,000 increase in the weekly imprest account of the city nazim’s secretariat.

A large number of council members from both the opposition and the treasury failed to turn up when the house resumed its session on Saturday.

City Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil, who was presiding over the session, was obliged to suspend house business for half an hour while quorum requirements were met. Ms Jalil informed the house that several members were delayed due to traffic jams in some parts of the city.

Even when the house reassembled, however, there was a distinct lack of enthusiasm on both sides and it initially appeared as if the session would be postponed.

Both sides of the house had earlier been divided on various issues, but on Saturday it appeared that they were ready to bury the hatchet, at least for the time being.

Beginning normal business, the convener asked members to take up the business agenda. In the meantime, several members drew the attention of the chair towards problems in their respective union councils. The convener allowed members to make these submissions in brief.

Treasury member Ahsan Siddiqui informed the house that the council has held 50 sessions during the current year, thus meeting the requirements of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance. He praised the role of council members in this regard.

On a point of order, opposition leader Ramzan Awan complained about a shortage of water in union council 11 (Kehkashan, Saddar town), saying that the problem was present in other parts of the city as well. He called for the implementation of the K-4 water supply scheme.

Treasury leader Arshad Qureshi added that water was not being released to Baldia town through the newly laid supply lines. Blaming the ‘water mafia’ for diverting supply, Mr Qureshi called for an inquiry into the matter.

Following this, a resolution relating to an increase in the weekly imprest account of the city nazim secretariat was tabled for debate. The resolution sought an increase of Rs5,000 to a new value of Rs20,000.

The imprest account is maintained to meet miscellaneous expenses like refreshments for visitors, photocopies, etc.

Treasury leaders Mirza Afaq Beg and Abdul Jalil defended the resolution, saying the increase was necessary in view of inflation and the workload of the secretariat. They argued that in view of the price hike, it was a nominal increase. Treasury leader Masood Mehmud termed the increase “peanuts”, saying the amount should be increased to Rs30,000. He was opposed by opposition member Juman Darwan on this.

The convener, too, did not agree with Mr Mehmud, and when the resolution was put to the vote as it originally stood, it was adopted unanimously.

Three more resolutions were put to debate, and then adopted unanimously after no debate.

A resolution amended a term used earlier in the resolution regarding EDO (Implementation). It was replaced by ‘EDO Council’.

Another resolution pertained to the departmental reorganisation of Landhi Town. It dealt with the creation of new posts and upgrades, and was also adopted unanimously.

Opposition leaders Anwar Baloch and Ramzan Awan insisted that the opposition should be given time to study the resolution. House leader Asif Siddiqui and treasury leader Masood Mehmud, however, argued that the resolution had already been adopted by the town council, and as such passage by the city council was merely a formality. They cited the cases of Saddar and Gulshan towns.

The opposition did not pursue the matter, and the resolution was passed without any votes of dissent.

After the adoption of three resolutions submitted by the treasury, opposition leader Ramzan Awan drew the attention of the convener towards two resolutions submitted by the opposition – one related to the violation of Pakistan’s airspace by Indian jets, and another on the detention of Iraqi journalist Muntazar Al Zaidi in his country.

Ms Jalil asserted the that issue of the airspace violation was national and sensitive, and she urged the treasury and leaders to jointly submit a simple resolution on the matter.

Consequently, a joint resolution was tabled in the house and adopted unanimously. The resolution expressed concern over the violation of Pakistani airspace by Indian planes, and called upon the government to take the issue up at the diplomatic level.

Soon after the adoption of the resolution, the convener adjourned the house meeting abruptly for an indefinite period, without giving the opposition an opportunity to raise the issue of the Iraqi journalist.

Saturday’s dull session was all the more conspicuous for the absence of prominent opposition leaders Saeed Ghani and Mehbub Sheikh of the Awam Dost panel, Rafiq Ahmed and Mohammad Islam of the Al-Khidmat panel and Dr Dia-ul-Haq of the Khidmatgar group.