KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers from Karachi have asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to resolve the water crisis in the city by giving the control of the water distribution system to Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, which is at present the sole mandate of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) that falls under the direct control of the Pakistan Peoples Party-led provincial government.

Amid rumours and speculations about internal differences within the PTI, the MNAs of the ruling party at the Centre managed to hold a long-awaited meeting with the prime minister in Islamabad on Friday.

While denying any differences, the MNAs, who met the premier, said the meeting was purely called to discuss Karachi’s issues, which ranged from the water crisis to deteriorating transport system, growing street crime and the shortage of gas in the city.

The MNAs claimed to have won a promise from the PM that he would visit Karachi later next week.

A delegation of PTI MNAs from Karachi calls on prime minister and apprises him of city’s problems

“The key issue discussed in the meeting was the prevailing water crisis in Karachi,” PTI MNA Faheem Khan told Dawn after the Islamabad meeting. “There was a consensus in the meeting and everyone who lives in Karachi knows it well that there is no shortage of water in the city but it’s in fact the mismanagement in distribution, corruption and support to tankers mafia from authorities that has been intensifying the crisis with each passing day.”

He said during the discussion the PM sought different suggestions from the MNAs to resolve the crisis of water distribution in the city and the meeting agreed that the role of the Rangers could be effective in this regard.

When asked about a legal position and logic to engage the paramilitary force in water distribution, which is solely the mandate of the provincial government and the KWSB, he said that the meeting discussed “different modalities” on the issue but it would be shared later after finalisation.

Abdul Shakoor Shad, another PTI MNA who attended the meeting, said that party leaders were convinced about the active engagement of the federal government to resolve Karachi’s issues including transport and gas supply.

He said the PM was very keen to play his role for Karachi and he had called for a briefing from Planning and Special Initiatives Minister Asad Umer on Monday to discuss transport issues of Karachi.

“We will see the meeting bear fruits for Karachi very soon. The PM is very much concerned about the Karachi situation and wants to resolve every single issue of the city. Unfortunately, he was preoccupied [by] major challenges that included economic crisis and political issues. Since the situation has turned much better at the national level on all fronts, you will see him playing an active role for Karachi’s progress. He’s expected next week in Karachi to review different projects and issues,” he said.

Besides Mr Khan and Mr Shad, PTI MNAs Aftab Jahangir, Akram Cheema, Attaullah Khan, Aslam Khan and retired Captain Jamil Ahmed Khan also attended the meeting.

Earlier, a statement issued from the PM Office said that PM Khan had expressed his resolve for progress and prosperity of Karachi, saying the economic hub of the country was among the top-most priorities of the PTI government.

“The MNAs informed the prime minister of various problems of Karachi city and those of health, employment and provision of drinking water in their respective constituencies. They also talked about progress on the ongoing development projects of the federal government in Karachi,” it said.

“The prime minister said the government was cognizant of the problems of the metropolis and committed to play every possible role in that regard. He told the parliamentarians that he would soon visit Karachi. After attaining economic stability, the government would fully focus on resolution of the problems being faced by the people,” the statement added.

Talking about price hike and unemployment, the prime minister was of the view that the government was especially focusing on controlling prices of essential commodities, besides providing all possible facilities and ease of doing business to the private sector to provide employment to the youth.

He said boosting the industrial process and various development projects would provide employment opportunities to the youth.

The prime minister asked the elected representatives to remain in regular contact with their electorates so that their proposals for the resolution of their problems could be implemented.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2019