Ban on local govts’ land transactions

[Naveed Yaseen]

CM’s notification bitterly criticised in City Council

Tuesday, July 28, 2009
By Shahid Husain

Karachi

The City Council on Monday showed its “deep concern” over a notification issued by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, prohibiting the issuance of lease documents for residential and commercial plots throughout the province.

In a resolution passed by majority vote, the City Council maintained that the move had badly affected the finances of all local bodies, especially the city government. The resolution demanded that the chief minister’s directive should be withdrawn immediately, so that the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) that was already facing financial problems, could adopt measures to increase its revenue and citizens might benefit from the basic right of lease.

Imran Ahmed of the treasury benches said that during a democratic government, one expects that people’s problems would be solved but the present government had been creating hurdles for the CDGK. He said that during the first tenure of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government, substantial developmental work was carried out, which was furthered by the regime of the incumbent city Nazim, Mustafa Kamal. He said that it was strange that local governments functioned smoothly when the military ruled the roost, while the system suffered during the regimes of democratically-elected governments.

Leader of the House Asif Siddiqui said that local governments were a better source of solving people’s problems, and were “nurseries of democracy”. He said that the perception that local governments function only under military governments should be removed. He said that the decision of Sindh Chief Minister to impose a ban on lease was a violation of human rights.

Shamim Mumtaz of the opposition benches stressed that members of the national and provincial assemblies were also people’s representatives, and that while union councillors were elected by “hundreds” of votes, these members received “thousands” of votes. She was of the view that the local bodies system would continue to exist; only that some amendments would be made to the system. She said that a ban had been imposed on lease because the Taliban and other terrorists were grabbing land – a fact that had been raised at the august forum of the Council.

Arshad Qureshi of the treasury benches said that attempts were being made to remove the present democratic government, and certain religious parties were very active in this regard. He said that the establishment and feudal lords were bent upon failing the democratic government. Qureshi said that the provincial chief minister should remove the misconception that democracy and local governments did not function simultaneously, and allow democracy to function at the grass-roots level.

Ramzan Awan of the opposition benches said that there should be no restrictions on issuance of lease.

The City Council also passed a resolution to lift ban on pillion riding. Khursheed Iqbal of the treasury benches said that tens of thousands of people were facing problems because of a ban on pillion riding.

Dr Ziauddin of the opposition benches said that pillion riding was banned because targetted killings were being carried out in the city, but should be lifted if the situation in the city had improved.

Leader of the House Asif Siddiqui said that there was no justification for imposing a ban on pillion riding. He said that whenever the government lifted the ban on pillion riding, pressure was exerted by the transport mafia to re-impose it. He pointed out that there were incidence of suicide bombings in other parts of the country, but Karachi had remained free of such instances up till now, and hence there was no justification for imposing a ban on pillion riding.

Saifuddin of the opposition benches said that a ban had been imposed on leasing because amenity parks were being converted into commercial plots in the city. However, he said that the ban on pillion riding should be removed.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=190246