Residents of Federal Capital have attached great hopes with forthcoming Local Bodies elections for solution of their multiple civic problems.
The inspiring candidates have to shoulder a big responsibility towards the long-standing problems, being faced by the citizen, said President of Islamabad Citizen Committee Latif Ahmed Rana in a press statement. Civic problems are deteriorating day-by-day in the capital and responsible departments are showing lukewarm attitude in resolving them.
The situation relating to public security is also not satisfactory, as day-light robbery and street crimes are on rise, he said adding the local administration and police remain heavily engaged in protocol duties of VVIPs and they have less time to take care of public safety and comfort.
The committee has approached the local administration and CDA many times, seeking their help address the residents’ problems. But hardly there is any outcome. The same was raised at the level of the Prime minister and the Interior Ministry as well. Letters were also written to heads of local political parties drawing their attention towards the civil problems, hoping their nominated candidates for local bodies’ will take up the mater in their election’s manifesto.
There is unauthorized encouragement and popping of illegal ‘kachi abadies’, besides illegal and unauthorized construction within and alongside of residential sectors and illegal use of residential properties in the form of schools, offices, beauty parlors that has made the life of the local people miserable.
There is also problem of parking of vehicles on footpaths in residential as well as commercial areas. Failure to develop already allotted sectors after more than 20 years of allotment is also a matter of great concern.
Latif Rana further said there no maintenance or construction of roads and streets, footpaths. The city also lacks proper street lights Augmentation of water supply is required on urgent basis. Present requirement of capital is 180 million gallons per day, whereas available supply from different sources is 62 million. Sewage disposals into rain water nallahs and drainage needs to be rectified.
About the security, Latif Rana said there is no visible presence and patrolling by police. Citizens have been left at the mercy of criminals. M. Aftab, a senior committee’s officer-bearer and former DG APP hoped that the relevant institutions will take up issues raised in the statement seriously and resolve them at the earliest.
