A delegation of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) here on Monday called on President Asif Zardari at Bilawal House. The delegation comprised Babar Ghauri, Faruq Satar, Haider Abbas Rizvi, Raza Haroon and others. Law and order situation in Karachi, demand of extortion money from traders, and kidnappings for ransom came under discussion during the meeting. The delegation apprised the president about the killing of traders by terrorists in case they refuse to pay the extortion money. Continuous killing of MQM workers in Karachi was also discussed in the meeting. The president listened to the delegation attentively and assured immediate action for solving their problems. He gave orders to the Sindh administration for improving the law and order situation in Karachi. Later talking to media, Muttahida Quami Movement leader Raza Haroon said the meeting was part of MQM plan to contact political parties for creating consensus over national issues. He said the meeting was very fruitful as the president listened to their concerns and assured solid measures to restore peace in the country, especially in Karachi. Haroon said the president assured them to handle land mafia, drug mafia and extortion mafia with iron hand to provide relief to the people.
To a query on local government elections, Raza Haroon said MQM had conveyed their recommendations to President Zardari, adding the elections should be held as soon as possible.
President Asif Ali Zardari has called for expediting pace of developmental work on various ongoing schemes in Lyari and in other parts of Karachi to provide maximum possible facilities to the people. He was chairing a meeting held to review Lyari Development Package here at Bilawal House on Monday. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Pir Mazharul Haq, Murad Ali Shah, Ayaz Soomro, Sharjeel Memon, Agha Siraj Durrani, Nadir Magsi, Saifullah Dharejo, Sharmeela Farooqui and senior government officials were present on the occasion. President Zardari while calling for expediting the pace of work stressed upon the need for ensuring that the quality of the work was not compromised in any manner. The president was informed that old water supply lines in most of the areas of Lyari had been replaced for better supply of clean drinking water. It was informed that out of the six reverse osmosis plants, two have been completed and are being tested for commissioning. These six reverse osmosis plants will supplement the availability of water and would benefit around 0.3 million people.
The meeting was informed that out of 21 sewerage schemes of Sindh government, 19 had been completed and the remaining two would be completed by September this year. Out of federal government schemes, 12 out of 14 have been completed by 96 percent and the rest would also be completed by this September.
About the roads, it was informed that 24 major and minor roads had been carpeted, refurbished and repaired and had been handed over to the administration. In phase II, 30 roads of Lyari have been taken up out of which 19 works are under execution with 80 percent work completed. Regarding improvements in education facilities, it was informed that the feeding institutions such as primary and secondary schools were being improved in a phased manner. It was informed that in Phase-I, 24 schools have been renovated and improved. In Phase II, 41 schools were taken up with so far 60 percent progress in the second phase.
The president was also briefed about the progress made so far in electrification, developments of play grounds, parks, and other recreational and sport facilities such as boxing clubs, football house and kakri ground.
