KARACHI: Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) Chairman Mustafa Kamal on Sunday has announced that they will shut down Karachi if their 16 demands are not fulfilled.
The PSP leader, during a press conference in Karachi, said that they will not compromise on their children’s right to water, education and health.
Kamal asserted that they will not back away from their stance and will shut down the city if deemed necessary.
He warned the government of consequences in case of delay in accepting PSP’s demands.
Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) leader Nawab Rashid Ali Khan announced his inclusion in PSP along with his accomplices. Kamal welcomed him in the party and admired his ideology.
PSP’s 16 demands:
Many of the party’s demands call for empowering the Karachi mayor, a position right now held by the MQM-Pakistan’s Waseem Akhtar.
The Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) and Master Plan Department should be handed over to the mayor; mayor should also be given charge of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) and Karachi Development Authority (KDA), said the party chief in the press conference he held earlier this year.
Roads network and hospitals be placed under the city government and that district and union council chairpersons should be transferred resources.
The PSP chief has also demanded that work on K-IV project should be immediately announced. “Five garbage transfer stations should be established across the city, public transport buses should be increased. The K-Electric should also return the ‘overbilled’ amount of more than Rs100 billion,” he said.
He said that parks should also be given under city government; provincial Finance Commission should be formed immediately and Road Infrastructure Authority should be devolved.
“District cadre system should be formed; punishments should be set to end the land grabbing and Hyderabad should be given a special package,” he further demanded.
On May 14, the PSP’s ‘Million March’, demanding basic necessities for Karachi’s residents was intercepted when party workers tried to enter the city’s Red Zone. Police had baton-charged party workers and officials and also arrested several, including Kamal, who were later released.
The step was taken to prevent the party workers and officials from marching towards the Chief Minister House where the city commissioner had imposed Section 144, banning assembly of people.
