KARACHI, Dec 8: The City Council on Saturday opened debate on the Karachi Strategic Development Plan 2020 amid a boycott by opposition members protesting against the non-availability of a comprehensive document of the master plan despite their repeated demands.

A clear-cut political division was witnessed during Saturday’s session when all factions of the opposition joined the boycott, except the Khidmatgar group leader.

When the house resumed its session, opposition members led by Rafiq Ahmed of the Al-Khidmat group stood up and on a point of order drew the attention of the convener, Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil, to the fact that since they were not provided copies of the master plan, they could not participate in the debate.

They maintained that the master plan document comprised 208 pages and it would take at least a month to study it. Thereafter, leader of the house Asif Siddiqui stood up to confront the opposition.

But Ms Jalil suspended the proceedings when opposition member Ramzan Awan said the house was inquorate.

When the house reassembled, Mr Siddiqui attacked the opposition for its “somersault”, alleging that they were not interested in the development of the city.

Condemning the “confrontational attitude” of the opposition, the Haq Parast panel member accused them of working as per their party agenda. He said the master plan document was available in the council office and had the opposition been sincere, they could have studied it as there was enough time.

But the opposition insisted that copies of the document should be made available to every member so that they could study it properly and give their views on it, otherwise they warned that they would not participate in the debate. They also made it clear that, in principle, they were not against the presentation of the document.

An exchange of hot words took place between the treasury and opposition members who shouted slogans demanding copies of the document.

Intervening, the convener said the document was not final as it could be suitably amended and modified by positive recommendations from the members. She assured the house that copies would be supplied to members as soon as they were made available, saying that so far only 10 copies were available, which would be provided to opposition members.

She allowed the treasury to submit the resolution pertaining to the Karachi Strategic Development Plan 2020. The resolution says that any member of the council who desired to make any suggestions about KSDP-2020 could send the same to the committee of the master planning group of officers and in case the committee found it practicable, it could recommend it to the council for approval.

The opposition did not oppose the resolution and it was passed unanimously. But it was adamant about its earlier demand that it would participate in the debate only if copies of the master plan were made available to them and thereafter boycotted the remaining proceedings.

The convener tried to ease the tense situation and suspended the proceedings of the session for 20 minutes. But the opposition members refused to return.

Later, when the house reassembled for a second time, Haq Parast group leader Asif Siddiqui said that he had met the opposition members and tried to persuade them to return, but they had refused. He alleged that the opposition members were not serious about development activities in the city.

He said the resolution adopted in the house would provide an opportunity to every member to submit suitable proposals and if approved by the master plan committee, these would be submitted in the house for approval.

Surprisingly, while Mr Siddiqui was presenting his arguments, the Khidmatgar group leader Dr Ziauddin, Nazim UC-6, Site Town, along with three other members, joined the session.

In the absence of the opposition, the house adopted seven other resolutions recommending the establishment of more awami markaz centres, one each in Liaquatabad, Gadap and Site towns, to provide basic provisions to the people of these areas.

A resolution recommended the establishment of mortuaries in every town while in another, the house called for the establishment of cattle markets, dairy and poultry farms in specific areas wherein medical facilities would be available.

Another resolution recommended better facilities, including for the employees, of the fire brigade department, which had been neglected so far and called for the extension of facilities in every town. A resolution also called for better facilities for hawkers and patheradars, while the house also recommended the establishment of cardiac centres in every town.

It also adopted a resolution for providing better facilities to the handicapped and suggested special care facilities be incorporated in the proposed master plan as these facilities were lacking in it.

It was surprising that these deficiencies in the master plan were pointed out by the treasury members. The recommendations were made by treasury members Syed Ibsar-ul-Hasan, Imran Khan, Ahsan Siddiqui, Arif Bhatti, Syed Waqar Husain Shah and Mirza Sajid Beg.

In her concluding remarks, the convener of the house suggested that the house members include suitable proposals regarding the preservation of heritage of old buildings, the city’s roads and culture.

She later adjourned the house session till Monday.