KARACHI: Nazim Karachi Syed Mustafa Kamal Wednesday announced the establishment of a special fund for the rehabilitation of businessmen and traders affected by acts of arson at M A Jinnah road.

He appealed that in order to compensate the losses of affectees, 50 per cent of the fund be provided by the federal and provincial governments while they should be given 50 per cent interest-free loans so that they are rehabilitated to their original position.

Addressing a press conference at Civic Center, Mustafa Kamal said the fund is being setup on the directive of MQM chief Altaf Hussain with Account No 31618-0 at Habib Bank KMC Branch.

On the occasion he fervently appealed to philanthropists and citizens to contribute to the fund so that rehabilitation work of affectees could be started without any delay.

He said this amount will reach the affectees through the representatives of chambers of commerce while consultations will also be held with business associations.

To a question, Mustafa Kamal said it is difficult to assess the extent of losses caused by the fire; however, he said the city government had started a survey.—APP

Karachi Circular Railway

KARACHI: Work on the revival of the Karachi Circular Railway is expected to start in 2010 and the service is likely to be available for public within the next three years.

On completion of the project, an international operator of repute will be appointed for operation and maintenance of the KCR on the pattern of successful role model of Singapore Mass Rail Transit, according to the KCR project director.

He said that the revised cost of the project according to the final study report – special assistance for project formation, which was sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and received in April 2009 was $1558.8 million. The previous estimate was around $872.316 million.


The project director said that the increase in cost was because of the modifications brought in the project study to offer better transport facilities to people.

The KCR route length, according to the study, will be 43.12 kilometres which would include an elevated track of 22.49km, a track of four kilometres in tunnel and 16.63km track on ground.

It will have 27 stations – 14 on ground, 11 elevated and two in tunnels – in the city. The revival plan of KCR was approved by ECNEC last week.

Under the project, he said, 290 trains would be run daily at an interval of six minutes, with a capacity of carrying between 942 and 1,391 passengers per train. This way 0.69 million passengers would commute by the trains on a daily basis, he added.

The stations will be provided with computerised ticketing, automated ticket gates, vending machines and elevators.

The entire KCR will be provided with electric traction infrastructure and modernized signalling and telecommunication system.

The project director said that numerous studies were arranged and conducted in order to plan an effective public transportation system in the city, but no project could be implemented for a variety of reasons, including insufficient funds.

According to him, the government has decided to revive the KCR in two phases as modern commuter system for citizens.

It was decided that the Karachi Urban Transport Corporation (KUTC) would be formed with the Ministry of Railways, Government of Sindh and City District Government Karachi as shareholders on the basis of their equity.

In October 2005, the Japan External Trade Organisation working under the aegis of the government of Japan carried out a feasibility study of the KCR in close coordination with the Pakistan Railways, government of Sindh, CDGK and other agencies/institutions.


The final report (March 2006) recommended the revival of KCR as a viable project for mitigating the commuter problems of citizens.

He said that the KUTC was incorporated on May 8, 2008, in the Securities Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) as a public limited (not listed) with nine directors on board four from Pakistan Railways, two from the government of Sindh, two from the city district government of Karachi and one director from the private sector. Its authorized capital was Rs10 billion.

He said that the KUTC would be the vehicle for the implementation of KCR project and would oversee the management of KCR.

The circular railway was constructed and opened for traffic in two phases in 1964 and 1970. It originated from Drigh Road Station on the main line and after crossing Sharea Faisal passed through populated areas of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, SITE, Baldia, Lyari, Kharadar and finally arrived at the Karachi City Station.

However, due to lack of investment in the infrastructure, its operational efficiency was marginalized. The number of trains reduced, causing an increase in running time and a reduction in number of passengers. Eventually, the KCR was closed for passenger traffic in December 1999. —APP
(Source: Daily Dawn, Karachi 28 December 2009)

‘Good Name in Man and Woman...’

By Ardeshir Cowasjee
Earlier this month, no less a man than the chief justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Chaudhry, who so ably led the bench hearing the constitutional petitions challenging the NRO, rendered praise unto Karachi’s city nazim, Mustafa Kamal. In a news item in the national press on Dec 2 (‘SC seeks report on tree-felling in Lahore’):

‘The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought a detailed report till Dec 21 on cutting of trees due to extension of the Canal View Road Project in Lahore from the provincial environment secretary and the director general.

‘A three-member SC bench, comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan and Justice Tariq Parvez, was hearing a suo motu case initiated against the cutting of trees.’ The project costing Rs3bn involved the felling of 1,844 trees along 14 kilometres of the canal bank. The news item ended:

‘The chief justice then observed that the government in London did not go for expansion of its roads merely to preserve its heritage. ‘How such a project of huge cost is in favour of the country in the current economic situation,’ the chief justice said. ‘See Karachi, how a young nazim has excellently worked,’ the chief justice said, adding the authorities of Lahore should go to Karachi to see his excellent work. Lamenting the strategy of cutting trees for expansion of roads, Imrana Tiwana said instead of making transport system efficient, trees are being sacrificed to expand the roads. The court adjourned the hearing for Dec 21.’

To revert to 2008 and a news item of July 4 (‘Mustafa Kamal launches Green Karachi project’):

‘After chopping down thousands of trees in the city in the past couple of years, City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal on Thursday announced that his administration would plant several hundred thousand trees by the end of the year.’ Mustafa appealed to Karachi’s citizens for help and he ‘said that despite these initiatives the tree-planting campaign needed active participation from common citizens as they have the responsibility of protection and preservation of this natural asset.

‘He said that the cutting of trees had been completely banned in the city and anyone who would be seen cutting a tree would be arrested.’

That was then. On Dec 14, 2009, Shehri , our environmental NGO, had to address a letter to Nazim Kamal under the heading ‘Cutting of trees on Sharea Faisal’. It read: ‘We learn that certain departments of the city government are planning to cut trees on the green belts at the sides of Sharea Faisal between FTC and Karsaz Road. Perhaps they are not aware of the following facts:

‘(a) On July 3, 2008, as was widely reported in the press the next day, you promised the citizens of Karachi a Green Karachi, promised to plant over 100, 000 trees, and placed a ban on the cutting of trees in the city stating that anyone who cut trees in Karachi would be arrested. (b) Earlier this month, the chief justice of Pakistan, while stopping the cutting of trees along the Canal Bank Road in Lahore … held you up as an example of a mayor who undertook projects whilst being mindful of the environment.

‘It would be a criminal act, especially during the days of the Copenhagen conference on climate change, to cut trees that actually absorb carbon dioxide and reduce the prospects of global warming. We request you to ensure that this philistine act is not carried out.’

A copy was forwarded to the chief justice of Pakistan who has the capacity to hear the cries of distressed trees, the cries of souls lost and not found, and of many others. So far the trees still stand.
(Excerpts from a column of Ardeshir Cowasjee published in the daily Dawn)

14 ENGLISH MEDIUM MODEL SCHOOLS

The City District Council on Saturday approved a resolution by majority vote to covert 14 schools of the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) into model English medium schools.

he schools would teach standardized books from well known publishers to accord uniformity in syllabus.

Another resolution said that the employees of 18 towns and 178 union councils would be ensured uniformed medical facilities at CDGK hospitals.

The resolution passed in the Council said that 14 schools functioning under the Local Bodies Education Group of the CDGK would be selected as model English medium schools. A committee would be formed for every school and books published by M/s Gaba Publishers and Oxford University Press would be taught at these schools.

Another resolution said that a three-tier municipal system was functioning at the moment under the Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2001 but due to some technicalities all the employees were not enjoying the same facilities thereby causing frustration amongst them. It said that if they were provided equal medical opportunities, their performance would become better and their problems would be solved.

Leader of the House, Asif Siddiqui, pointed out that the employees of 18 towns and 178 union councils should be allowed free healthcare at CDGK hospitals since they were suffering a lot due to uneven three-tier system that was causing ill feeling amongst them.

Siddiqui also said that the House should also send a strong message to the federal government on burgeoning sugar crisis by passing a unanimous resolution. He said that it should be unveiled that who was benefiting from sugar subsidy.

TRANSPORT MAFIA PARALYZED KARACHI

KARACHI : The Transport Ittehad Karachi which represents buses, mini buses, coaches, trucks, rickshaws, taxis, yellow cabs, Suzuki etc observing a strike in Karachi.

The Ittehad calls the strike in protest against the hiking price of fuel. Public transport including buses, wagons, coaches, rickshaw and taxis is not on the road. People along the roads and on bus stops are helpless, and hopelessly waiting for a bus or wagon to take them to their work places, schools, hospitals etc but their wait is in vain.

The strike badly affected daily life and the city’s main business centers remained crippled with no major commercial activities. Wholesale and retail traders say they lose more than a billion rupees on each day of business lost due to strikes.

Transporters mafia today once again hit the mega city of Karachi. Despite earning a paramount profit from the city this greedy mafia has never given even a small relief to the Karachiites. These transporters have ties with drug mafia and terrorists have no mercy at all for a civilized society because they belong to the tribal culture where power is god and every thing is right for a tribal lord.

Helpless citizens of Karachi are now looking at the City District Government for a civilized public transport system. CDGK already has its Green Buses (CNG Buses) plying successfully on two routes of Karachi. These buses provide a respectable journey to the commuters. People of Karachi are asking city mayor Mr. Mustafa Kamal to start service in other routes of the city.

Nazim Karachi Mustafa Kamal Visits Dar-ul-Uloom Karachi

Mufti Rafi Usmani, Muhtamim Dar-ul-Uloom appreciated the development works being carried out in Karachi under the Haq Parast City Nazim Mustafa Kamal. Nazim of Karachi Mustafa Kamal visiting the Dar-ul-Uloom Karachi. Mufti Rafi sahib said that the development works done under the City Nazim Mustafa Kamal are beyond comparison and set an example for other cities. Mufti sahib and Mufti Taqi Usmani appreciating the construction of recently built long bridge on Malir River commented that "گھنٹوں کا سفر منٹوں میں طے ہونے پر مصطفے کمال کے لئے دل سے دعا نکلتی ہے"

LAHORE TV ANCHORS APPRECIATE KARACHI CITY GOVERNMENT

See, How Well a Young Karachi Nazim Has Worked: CHIEF JUSTICE OF PAKISTAN

“See, how well a young Karachi Nazim has worked. Those responsible for the upkeep of Lahore should go to Karachi and see the brilliant work.” Chief Justice of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD : The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday ordered the Punjab environment secretary and director general to submit a report on the cutting of trees for the extension of Canal Road in Lahore by December 21.

A three-member bench of the SC, consisting of Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan and Justice Tariq Parvez, was hearing a suo motu case against the cutting of trees along the Canal.

“How such a project of huge cost is in favour of the country in the current economic situation,” the chief justice said. “See Karachi, how a young Nazim has excellently worked,” the chief justice said, adding the ‘authorities’ of Lahore should go to Karachi to see his excellent work. Lamenting the strategy of cutting trees for expansion of roads, Imrana Tiwana said instead of making transport system efficient, trees are being sacrificed to expand the roads. The court adjourned the hearing for December 21.
Source: NewsLineKarachi and Breaking News Karachi