With an outstanding victory in the local bodies election on Saturday winning the majority of 134 out of 209 union councils Karachi is looking forward to have a MQM mayor and deputy mayor again. We may all remember the time of last mayor Mustafa Kamal that was one of the best times of our beloved Karachi. Even though Mustafa Kamal himself will not be available again for this job there will hopefully somebody else who might otherwise also find it difficult to emulate the excellent performance of his predecessor because of cutting the wings of devolution plan not to empower district governments that was envisaged during Gen. Musharraf regime. Inspite of elected district governments coming into place, the development funds will continue to be given to MNA’s and MPA’s as political bribe.
Saturday’s election has proven beyond doubt that despite the difficult times that the MQM has been going through, the party has not yet left behind fully their organizational network and sympathies among the people have not suffered. There is a lot of reform and change left to achieve for the party but after this success one can trust that things will go in the right direction. There is a dire need to purge the party of criminal elements – a need that is there for all other political parties in Karachi as well. There is a need to come clear on other outstanding issues to provide and ensure quality of services and effective law and order. But the success in the local bodies’ election gives the party hopefully the needed confidence.
For the citizens of Karachi there are better times ahead regarding the multiple problems we are facing. Water shortage and tanker mafia, electricity cuts and waste management and so many others. Land grabbing and extracting bhatta, mobile snatching has to be stopped and living conditions for Karachiites have to be improved. Let’s start working on it.
ALI ASHRAF KHAN
Karachi
