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Published 24 Dec, 2004 12:00am

HYDERABAD: Removal of district nazims criticized

HYDERABAD, Dec 23: The Hyderabad District Council on Thursday amid pandemonium adopted a resolution condemning the removal of four district nazims without any reason and terming it a conspiracy against the local government system.

While speaking on a briefing given by the director-general of the Hyderabad Development Authority, Rana Mehmood Ali Khan referred to the removal of the nazims and criticized the chief minister's action.

Firdous Abro tabled the resolution with the permission of presiding officer Miran Mohammad Shah, People's Party Parliamentarians-backed Awam Dost Panel nazim. The resolution demanded that the president should reinstate the nazims and allow them to complete their term as per the Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 2001.

As the resolution was moved, Yousuf Qureshi pointed out a lack of quorum and called for counting. It led to a pandemonium during the course of which the presiding officer allowed the passage of the resolution, though he himself had agreed to call for counting to determine the quorum. ADP members raised slogans of 'Jeay Bhutto' and 'Manzoor Hey, Manzoor Hey".

At the outset of the proceedings, Kanahiya Lal pointed out the lack of quorum and the presiding officer adjourned the session for 15 minutes. After the passage of the resolution, the presiding officer adjourned the session till Monday.

Yousuf Qureshi and his supporters told journalists that they were not against the resolution but it was adopted in an illegal way and they were not taken into confidence.

Earlier, the council members confronted the HDA director general over water shortage in the city, supply of contaminated water to residents and the poor performance of the HDA and the Water and Sanitation Agency. They said had Wasa and the HDA used funds on time, such a situation would not have arisen.

Abdul Qadeer Qazi said the council had to protect institutions and people. He was critical of performance of HDA and Wasa officials. He called for checking ghost employees.

He said the council should propose to the Sindh government to ensure recovery of dues outstanding against government departments or the dues should be deducted at-source.

He said if the HDA officials were inept, the government should take action against them. He urged the HDA to give up recovery of old arrears because people were not ready to pay them as they were not provided with utility service. He said the government should clear the arrears and only current bills be recovered.

Showing a bottle of almost muddy water, Sher Mohammad Pirzada said this water was being consumed by people of Hussainabad while the HDA was talking abut long-term planning. Rana Mehmood Ali Khan pointed out that billions of rupees had been given to the HDA since its creation.

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