KARACHI: Administrator Karachi, Sindh Government Spokesperson and Advisor to Chief Minister on Law Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Saturday said that there were conspiracies and negative propaganda against Karachi’s municipal utility tax.
“I was criticised for imposing a new tax but in fact it was an old tax. Money is needed to improve infrastructure of the city. They (critics) can oppose me but please don’t oppose the city. My resignation was not accepted and I am bound by the orders of the party.”
“I will continue to do whatever service I can for Karachi without personal publicity. I am grateful to 600,000 customers who submitted the municipal tax despite all the conspiracies,” the Karachi administrator said while addressing a press conference held at the Frere Hall here.
Municipal Commissioner Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Syed Afzal Zaidi and other officers were also present on the occasion.
Pinning hope on reversal of the verdict, the administrator Karachi said that the court had temporarily halted the collection of municipal tax, adding that it was not a final decision. He said that there were administrative difficulties in holding local bodies elections.
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Condemning the terrorist incident at Korangi fire station, he said that those who committed the heinous act should be dealt with under the law.
Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that two brave personnel of KMC Fire Brigade were martyred in the terrorist incident and one was seriously injured, who was currently admitted to the ICU.
He said that the police had been contacted for a full investigation. He prayed that Allah Almighty to grant the bereaved families patience to bear the irreparable loss.
The administrator said that the road maintenance work was going on in all the seven districts of Karachi and people were seeing that the KMC was working but the enemies of Karachi did not want the condition of the city to be corrected.
“Today, Karachi is moving forward under a comprehensive plan. In the past there were errors in the system of collection of municipal utility tax. I had two options either to let the same system continue under which the KMC was not getting only Rs 160 million or try to collect Rs 3 billion annually through K-Electric,” he added.
He said that the intervention of individuals was ended through new tax collection system. The CM’s advisor said that he gave relief to the citizens by reducing the tax and decided to introduce a fool-proof mechanism of municipal tax collection by K-Electric. He said that under the new system, Rs 50 million was collected in just 10 days.
“The man who had filed a case against KMC himself has not deposited this tax for five years. I want to tell people that bad intentions and defaulters do not want the city to be developed,” Barrister Murtaza Wahab said. He said that if the institutions were to be made strong and active, then the affairs must be run according to the law.
The administrator said that he had no personal differences with JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rahman, adding that if the Jamaat e Islami leader became the mayor tomorrow, then he will also have money to spend in the city. “In my view, the answer to the propaganda of the opponents is work and only work,” he added.
In response to a question, the administrator said that a decision had been taken to conduct local bodies elections in Sindh in phases, but there were administrative difficulties due to rains and floods. He said that decision regarding holding next phase of local bodies elections would be taken soon.
