Asif Zaradari reviews Karachi situation, meets PPP workers from Lyari

There is need to work together to maintain peace in Karachi, President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari said while presiding the meeting of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leaders and Mutahida Qaumi movement (MQM) leaders on the situation of the city in Bilawal House on Tuesday.

All the political parties must play its role in maintaining peace in the city. The political parties must not blame each other but help the government to indicate to the criminal elements, President Zardari added.

The democracy should not be blamed in any way. All the problems must be solved with the negotiations, President Zardari added.

The policy of reconciliation is the need of time for all the political parties in the country. All the policies would be made with the consultation of all the political representatives.

President Asif Ali Zardari presided the meeting of the PPP leaders in Bilawal House.

The meeting was joined by Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Qadir Patel, Rafiq Enginner, Qasim Baloch, Najmi Alam and Saeed Ghani.

The leaders of the PPP demanded the President Zardari to order to stop the operation in Lyari. The PPP leaders handed over the list of 14 martyred workers of PPP to President and demanded the families of the victims should be compensated. The PPP leaders also requested President Zardari to establish the party fund to help the families of the victims.

Raza Haroon, MQM leader said that we are grateful to President Zardari that he invited us for the meeting in Bilawal House on the situation of the city.

We have conveyed our reservation to President Zardari and he listened our view point and agreed with us on many points. President Zardari assured us that the action would be taken against the criminal elements in the city. We agreed that the leaders of both parties would settle all the matters collectively, he added.

We have agreed to take action against the criminals.This is not the conflict between the PPP and MQM. We only want that the action must be taken against the criminals, land grabbers and drugs sellers, he added.

This operation would not be against any community or any particular area. This operation would be against all the criminal elements, he added.

Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq, Education Minister Sindh and PPP leader said that the peace committee would be formed which would include PPP and MQM leaders. The both parties have decided that they would follow the root of dialogue to solve all its matters. The both parties would follow the policy of reconciliation. Both parties would collectively work to maintain peace in the city, he added

The both parties would have reached near conciliation on the issue of local government. There would be meeting on the issue of local government on Wednesday, he added.

Meanwhile, target killing continues in the city despite announcement of the government to take stern action against those involved. Two more people were killed in Lines Area.

Body found from Jet Line was identified as Abdul Shakoor. He was shot dead. Another person was killed in Brigade police station limits whereas two people were injured in firing by unidentified people in Lyari. (SAMAA)

MUSTAFA KAMAL APOLOGIES FOR COMMENTS IN LIVE BEEPER

City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has apologized to his supporters especially all those who may have felt offended by his comments during a recent interview (live beeper) on a private TV Channel.

In a statement Nazim Karachi said that at the time of receiving the query he was busy in the rehabilitation of affected traders and the concerned anchor had asked such a question on that any human would have got sentimental. However, the post which I hold demands me that I should have more patience and endurance. Therefore I apologize to all my Pakistani brethren and sisters who could have felt offended by my words.

Meanwhile, City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has praised the efforts of federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik for bringing improvement in the present condition and maintaining peace in Karachi. He also expressed hope that his efforts would bring about improvement in the law and order condition in Karachi.

CITY GOVT. COMPLETES 40 PERCENT RESTORATION WORK ON DAMAGED BUILDINGS

City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has said that the repair and restoration of arson hit 9 markets of Boulton Market has been 40 percent completed and the commercial activities in these markets would resume within a week. ABAD (Association of Builders & Developers) has also initiated construction of a damaged building comprising 400 shops and ware houses with its own resources. All efforts are being taken to rehabilitate the affected traders in their own shops as soon as possible.

He expressed these views during a visit to Boulton Market and other arson hit markets of the area. He also met with the affected traders and contractors of city government and water board. The traders appreciated the efforts of Nazim Karachi for their early rehabilitation. They said that these extraordinary efforts have assured them of their soon rehabilitation.

Nazim Karachi on this occasion said that without waiting for the government aid, being the City Nazim I have started repair and restoration of damaged and gutted buildings and shops of M.A Jinnah Road and already 40 percent of work has been done while rest of work will also be completed soon. He said that the citizens of Karachi were working on the rehabilitation of arson affected business community on self help basis. I salute all those who have contributed in the relief fund or taking part in the restoration activities.

City Nazim said that at this stage it was not possible to assess the exact loss suffered by the main commercial center of Karachi. However, the affectees had desired to get back their shops in original state and the buildings were made business able. On their request we did not wait for even a day and just started repair work on all those buildings that had been handed over to us by the KBCA. Already 40 percent of this work has been completed. The reconstruction of dangerous and razed buildings has also been started.

Nazim Karachi also appreciated the national spirit of city government contractors who had taken up the repair and restoration of 9 affected buildings. He said that they have responded well to the appeal to do something for their city and country. He said that city government has been doing all this despite of facing acute monetary crisis.

PICG, PBC Conference on the ‘Role of the Non-executive Chairman’

A half day conference on the ‘Role of the Non-executive Chairman’ was held by Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance (PICG) in collaboration with Pakistan Business Council (PBC) recently at Karachi Sheraton hotel.

With a brief introduction by Mr. Fuad A. Hashimi (President & CEO, PICG) and Mr. Kamran Y. Mirza (Chief Executive, PBC), the conference was focused on the role of a non-executive chairman, a key issue in the realm of Corporate Governance practice. Mr. Salim Abbas Jilani (Chairman SSGC) chaired the conference and was also one of the moderators. Mr. Munnawar Hamid OBE (Chairman BOC & Silk Bank) was the other moderator.

Mr. Ken Rushton, senior advisor at Nestor Advisors and a member of the Private Sector Advisory Group of the Global Corporate Governance Forum, delivered the key note address on ‘International Best Practices’. It was followed by presentation on ‘Experience with Pakistani State-Owned Enterprises’ by Mr. Zaffar A. Khan (non-executive independent director on the boards of companies like State Bank of Pakistan, Unilever, and Shell Pakistan etc.). The last presentation was on ‘Perspectives from Family-Owned Businesses in Pakistan’ by Mr. Razzak Dawood (Chairman, Descon Engineering & PBC and Rector of LUMS).

A highly interactive discussion forum followed the presentations raising issues on how to further enhance the role of non-executive chairman in the companies. In a nutshell, the objective of the conference was to highlight the current scenario and proposing a set-up where organizations in any segment, specifically those relating to public sector enterprises, must run in a neutral manner under the framework of good governance.

No connection of MQM activists and Urdu speaking people with the Lyari gang wars: Muttahida calls on security agencies to act on Karachi situation

Muttahida Qaumi Movement today said that there was no connection of MQM activists and Urdu speaking people with the Lyari gang war and ongoing incidents of violence in Karachi.

In a statement issued here, the MQM’s Rabita Committee said that a bloody fighting took place between Lyari gangs on Jan 7, resulting in the killing of several people. However, he said that criminal people of Lyari gang wars first kidnapped MQM workers and Urdu speaking people, and then later martyred them on Jan 8.

“The killing of the innocent MQM’s workers has become a routine matter now, it said.

The committee said that despite the fact that MQM has been informing the federal and provincial governments about the gruesome incidents, no positive outcome has surfaced so far.

The coordination committee further said that no action was taken against any murderer.

Therefore, the MQM appeals to the responsible and honest officers of rangers, police and secret agencies that they should come forward to protect the life and property of innocent people.

According to the MQM, it is the legal and constitutional obligation of law enforcement agencies to protect innocent people from getting killed.

Anne W Patterson calls on Governor

US ambassador Anne W Patterson on Wednesday called on Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan at Governor House Karachi and discussed the issues of mutual interest with him. She expressed great sorrow over the Karachi bomb blast incident and arsons of markets, saying that American Business Council has announced the aid of Rs1billion for the rehabilitation of the affected people.
Governor praised the feelings of US envoy for the affected persons of the incident.

CONTRACTORS BEGIN REPAIR WORK OF AFFECTED BUILDINGS

Responding the appeal of City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal, the contractors of City District Government Karachi and Karachi Water & Sewerage Board started repair and reconstruction work of affected buildings of M.A Jinnah Road on Sunday morning.

The contractors have employed a work force comprising 1500 people with heavy machinery in the rehabilitation work. Services of civil engineers have also been hired to oversee the work. The number of labor will be increased by 1000 from Monday and the affected buildings will be repaired and restored within next 10 days after that these will be handed over to the owners so that they could restart their business as soon as possible.

The contractors are using heavy machinery of City Government and Saddar Town besides 11 cranes, more than 8 dumper loaders, dozens of trucks and other machinery hired by them. Two separate pools of funds have been set up by the contractors of CDGK and KWSB with a sum of Rs10million in each pool as the initial amount; this amount will be used for purchase of construction material, payment of wages to labor and for other necessary expenditures and will be increased as and when it required. City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has expressed satisfaction over the pace of work.

The contractors will perform the reconstruction and repair works on 24 hour basis and will not take any break before the completion of the task. It has also been decided that the repaired and revamped shop will be handed over to the owner soon after completion of work so that they could restart their business there. On Sunday a total of 1000 bags of cement with 500 trucks of “bajri”and other material was arranged while the welders, carpenters and concerned machinery was also dispatched to the site.

Meanwhile the shutters of more than 100 shops of old cloth bazaar of Light House were handed over to the owners while the repair work was also started on Sunday. The shops of this market will also be handed over to the traders after completion of their repair work in next few days.

During a visit of the area on Sunday City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal expressed satisfaction over the rapid pace of work. He said that we will fulfill our promise made to the affected traders that the restoration and rehabilitation work will be completed within week’s time.

This may be noted that City Nazim has formed a monitoring committee comprising of EDO Works & Services Rasheed Mughal, EDO Municipal Services and M.D KWSB Qutubuddin Shaikh for repair and reconstruction of damaged buildings…

CONTRACTORS TAKE ON REPAIR OF DAMAGED BUILDINGS

Registered contractors of CDGK and KWSB have announced to participate in the rehabilitation process of arson hit business community by starting repair and reconstruction work of 22 gutted buildings located in an area from Light House to Boulton Market from Sunday.

In the presence of City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal, affected traders and media representatives at Boulton Market on Saturday they said that the 285 buildings of Boulton Market will be repaired by contractors of Karachi Water & Sewerage Board while the rehabilitation of remaining affected buildings will be done by contractors of City District Government Karachi.

Earlier City Nazim said that the repair work of affected buildings will be performed not in months but within weeks and all the affectees will be rehabilitated in their original shops so that they could restart their business there. He said that we could not afford any delay in this work. He also appealed to the administration of private schools in Karachi to exempt the fees of the children of affected traders for at least next 6 months, adding that city government will itself pay their fees if they did not do so.

City Nazim said that national flag should be hoisted on all the affected buildings as a symbol of harmony. He said that the incident was anticipated as the enemy was trying to destroy the economic hub of Pakistan but we will not surrender.
Nazim Karachi further said that the affected traders have lost all of their life long earning in the incident and now we have set up our preferences for their rehabilitation. Initially the repair and reconstruction of shops has been taken on and for this purpose I would ask the contractors of CDGK and KWSB to give some sacrifice for their city and country. They have been invited here so that they could themselves see the huge damage and take part in the rehabilitation process. He said that the nation today needs us. The rehabilitation work has been initiated on war footing basis. City Government will also have its share in this process. He said that from now on all attention should be given to the rehabilitation of affected traders.

City Nazim also formed a monitoring committee comprising of EDO Works & Services Rasheed Mughal, EDO Municipal Services and M.D KWSB Qutubuddin Shaik which would also decide the procedure for repair and reconstruction of damaged buildings.

Four to five million Pakistanis are carriers of hepatitis B

An estimated 300 to 350 million people worldwide are carriers of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) – a major hepatitis virus. In Pakistan, four to five million people are suspected HBV carriers. The virus can cause a number of liver diseases, including chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver cancer. To raise public awareness, Aga Khan University (AKU), in collaboration with the Pakistan Society for the Study of Liver Diseases (PSSLD) organised a programme on hepatitis viruses.

Close to two million people worldwide die each year from HBV and according to the World Health Organization, the virus is 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV/AIDS. HBV is endemic in parts of Asia, with more children being affected as the virus can be passed from an infected mother to her baby at birth. Dr Khalid Mumtaz, Consultant Gastroenterologist, Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), said that the high number of HBV carriers in Pakistan places an enormous burden on patients, their families as well as on the government and its resources. Large amounts of money is spent on treatment but given the limited options available, prevention is better than cure. The best way to prevent hepatitis B is through vaccination, and Dr Mumtaz recommended that infants be vaccinated immediately after birth. Providing an update on vaccinations, Dr Wasim Jafri, Consultant Gastroenterologist, AKUH and President, PSSLD, advised that three doses of the HBV vaccine are essential for full protection. Contrary to earlier advice, if a dose is missed the vaccination schedule can be continued without repeating the initial doses.

Another hepatitis virus, hepatitis C, is usually spread through blood from an infected person. Dr Muhammad Salih, Consultant Gastroenterologist, AKUH, said that there is a rising incidence of hepatitis C in Pakistan due to poor awareness, lack of basic health care and below-par blood screening facilities. The multiple use of disposable needles and syringes, substandard transfusion services and poor dental and surgical health care are all issues that need to be highlighted though wider public awareness.

If detected in time, there is an 80 to 90 per cent of curing hepatitis, according to Dr Saeed Hamid, Consultant Gastroenterologist, AKUH and Vice President, PSSLD. He pointed out however, that treatment is expensive. He also said that the disease cannot be cured if liver cirrhosis occurs, so timely diagnosis is essential.

The best measures against hepatitis E, yet another hepatitis virus, are to avoid dirty tap water and to follow good hygiene and sanitation practices, said Dr Rustam Khan, Consultant Gastroenterologist, AKUH. Hepatitis E is primarily spread through water contaminated by sewage. Dr Hasnain Shah, Consultant Gastroenterologist, AKUH said that this infection can be severe and may prove fatal in pregnant women, and advised them to be careful about drinking clean water and eating only well-cooked food during pregnancy.

KARACHI CITY GOVERNMENT ESTABLISH SPECIAL FUND FOR AFFECTED TRADERS

City District Government Karachi has established a special fund for prompt and quick rehabilitation of traders and shopkeepers who lost their all belongings in the fire incident at M.A Jinnah Road on Ashura.

This was announced by City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal in a well attended press conference held in the committee room of Civic Center on Wednesday. City Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil, Senior Presiding Officer City Council Masood Mehmood, Leader of the council Muhammad Asif Siddiqui and member city council Sarwat Arif Advocate and Nadeem Hyat Hashmi Nazim Karachi were also present on this occasion.

On this occasion Nazim Karachi also appealed to government to compensate the trader’s community and shopkeepers as 50 percent cash payment and 50 percent loan without interest so that they could be rehabilitated as early as possible. He said that the fund is being established on the directive of Quaid-e-Tehreek Mr. Altaf Hussain and the city government has already opened account number 31618-0 for collection of donations in the Habib Bank, KMC Branch.

He said that Quaid-e-Tehreek had expressed desire for early rehabilitation of all the affectees and he had directed me and Naib City Nazim to establish this fund. City Nazim said that Quaid-e-Tehreek has a huge following and a large number of his workers and lovers would like to donate in this fund while the city government will also have a share in this fund. He also appealed to the people of Karachi to donate in this fund so that the affected business community could be rehabilitated soon.

Replying a question City Nazim said that the fire brigade has completed the fire extinguishing operation in the affected buildings of Bolton Market and the situation was totally under control. He however asked the people to avoid gathering in the affected area as their presence was creating hurdles in the swift working of fire brigade.

City Nazim said that Chamber of Commerce and Industry Karachi has also been involved in the fund established by city government and the collected money will be used through its representatives and the associations of business community. He also clarified that the city nazim or any coming administrator would have no role in its disbursement. Nazim Karachi said that our task will only be completed after full rehabilitation of all the affected traders and shopkeepers and till that time we will continue our efforts on a war footing basis. He said that the city government has also started survey of the losses suffered by the traders so that the total loss could be ascertained.

City Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil said that the business community in Karachi was like the back bone of our economy and their loss would not be limited to themselves but adversely affect the whole economy of Pakistan. She said that we will have to work on emergency basis to combat this situation. City Naib Nazim demanded that the funds of crores of rupees allocated by federal government for rehabilitation of heritage should also be used for the restoration and reconstruction of heritage buildings at M.A Jinnah Road.