KARACHI: In a bid to address the longstanding issues faced by the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), Sindh Minister of Local Government, Housing Town Planning, and Public Health Engineering, Saeed Ghani, has announced the formation of a dedicated committee comprising municipal officers.
This decision was revealed during a meeting with industrialists and journalists at KATI on Saturday.
During the meeting, Minister Ghani underscored the importance of ensuring uninterrupted electricity for those who consistently pay their bills, condemning the prevalent load shedding practices. “It is unfair for those who diligently pay their electricity bills to suffer from load shedding due to the misdeeds of a few. K-Electric must implement a system that ensures consistent power supply to responsible consumers while taking stringent action against defaulters and thieves,” he asserted.
Acknowledging that the electricity crisis in Karachi is beyond the local authorities’ control, Ghani criticized K-Electric’s policies as often incomprehensible. He also highlighted the extensive development projects underway in Karachi, describing them as unprecedented and essential for the city’s economic growth. Ghani emphasized that industrial development is crucial for improving labor conditions and achieving overall economic progress.
The meeting was attended by several notable figures, including KATI President Johar Qandhari, Deputy Patron in Chief Zubair Chhaya, Senior Vice President Nighat Awan, Vice President Muslim Mohammadi, Chairman Standing Committee for Municipalities Masood Naqi, CEO KITE Limited Zahid Saeed, and former presidents and chairmen of KATI. Local government officials, including DG SBCA Abdul Rashid Solangi, DG KDA Shujaat Hussain, MD Solid Waste Imtiaz Shah, and MC KMC Afzal Zaidi, were also present.
The newly formed committee aims to streamline the resolution of KATI’s numerous issues, particularly those related to town limits, revenue collection, and trade licenses. Addressing the boundary disputes affecting KATI industrialists, Ghani mentioned that these issues are currently under the jurisdiction of a local government commission, which will make decisions impartially and without external pressure. He reiterated the need for a unified and fair system to handle these disputes, ensuring that industrial activities are not hampered.
KATI President Johar Qandhari highlighted the industrialists’ concerns, especially regarding overlapping claims from Korangi, Landhi, and Shah Faisal Colony on revenue collection and trade licenses. “We receive notices from multiple towns, and now the KMC has also become a claimant. This confusion must be resolved. We can only pay taxes to one authority, not three or four,” he stated, emphasizing the need for a streamlined tax collection process.
Qandhari also pointed out severe water and sewage issues in the industrial area, criticizing local bodies for their inadequate response. He called for a dedicated committee or board to include all stakeholders to effectively tackle these challenges.
Deputy Patron-in-Chief Zubair Chhaya praised Ghani’s leadership, attributing the ministry’s improved efficiency to his efforts. Chhaya advocated for stricter laws to penalize littering and suggested implementing desalination plants, similar to those in the Middle East, to alleviate Karachi’s water shortage.
CEO of KITE Limited, Zahid Saeed, highlighted the successful utilization of a grant from the Sindh government, which facilitated significant improvements in the Korangi industrial area. He requested additional funding to further benefit both the business community and the general public.
Chairman of the Standing Committee Masood Naqi criticized the inefficacy of KMC, Water Board, and KDA in fulfilling their responsibilities, exacerbating the water and sewage crisis in the Korangi industrial area. He called for enhanced cooperation from the Sindh government to resolve these pressing issues.
