Karachi: DHA criticised for slow reconstruction of roads

[LahoreEstate]

Wednesday, March 25, 2009
By our correspondent

Karachi

The Defence Housing Authority (DHA) was criticised during the Sindh Assembly session on Tuesday for the allegedly slow pace in reconstruction of roads, resulting in prolonged traffic jams which cause immense inconvenience to residents.

Speaking on a point of order, Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Imran Leghari said the DHA had dug up several roads but the same had not completed even during the last two-and-a-half years. The pace of reconstruction is “very slow,” due to which people end up being stuck in traffic jams for long periods of time, especially when schools are closing, he said.

Minister for Home Dr Zulfiqar Ali Mirza offered the DHA the services of Minister for Works Manzoor Wasan, who according to him had performed wonders in the construction of roads.

On a separate note, Shaharyar Mahr of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) said three DSPs had been directly appointed in the police through bypassing the system. He said that the law and order situation was already bad and wondered how these officers would rectify the situation, when they were appointed by violating the rules concerned.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) Heer Soho drew the attention of the house towards the perceived lack of representation of all provinces in the Planning Commission (PC).

Shama Mithani said load-shedding had made the lives of the people miserable and urged the government to direct power utilities to provide uninterrupted electricity as this was also the time for children’s examinations. Humera Alwani said cheating in exams had increased and urged the authorities concerned to take action because unconcerned people were roaming freely outside the examinations centres.

Nusrat Abbasi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) said that the imposition of infrastructure tax by the City District Government Karachi was an injustice to the citizens.

Naheed Khan suggested setting up tuberculoses centres in interior Sindh because the “silent killer disease” was increasing. Anwar Mahr said a couple suffering from TB committed suicide the other day because they could not get treatment at government hospitals.

Amir Ali Shah drew the attention of the House to the shortage of teachers in colleges in Matiari, forcing both girls and boys to seek admissions in Hyderabad.

Ram Singh Sodho urged for providing drinking water in Thar, while Khurshid Khokhar said a committee should be set up to redress grievances of minority members.

Minister for Agriculture Ali Nawaz Shah, responding to a point of order by PML-Q’s Razzaque Rahimoon, said that he had sent a summary to the Sindh chief minister for regularizing the services of 2,100 employees of the water-course improvement project.

Minister for Home Zulfiqar Mirza, responding to a point of order by Rukhsana Shah, said the police would continue their campaign against Gutka and hoped that its sale would be restricted.

Law Minister Ayaz Soomro, responding to a point of order by Nadeem Bhutto, said that the promotion committee of each department will hold a meeting every month to grant promotions to officers and employees whose promotions were pending for the last 13 years.

Aisha Khoso said an eight-year-old girl was sold by her parents in Jacobabad and regretted that girls were being sold as commodity. Information Minister Shazia Marri condemned the murder of a journalist, Tariq Malik, in Lahore.

Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza, who chaired the session, prorogued the assembly proceedings because it completed its parliamentary year.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=169032