KARACHI: Thousands of people took to streets in Orangi, demanding redress of thier miseries as in pursuance to its demands on provision of civic facilities to Karachiites, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chapter took out a rally, here on Sunday.
The city and particularly Orangi Town area, was facing acute problems of garbage heaps, chocked sewerage system, ruthless usage of force by police to extort money, incompetency of NADRA, shortage of potable water, unavailability of mass transit system, frequent power outages, over-billing and tumbling transport system among other issues. JI has been highlighting the issues since long ago but the provincial and local government continued to show cold shoulders to the due demands of the citizens.
A large number of people from all walks of life participated in the rally taken out from Shahwaliullah Nigar area of Orangi Town. As an expression of solidarity, the rally was showered with rose petals at several points.
Addressing the rally, JI Karachi chief Engr. Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said that the people of Karachi in general and Orangi Town in particular have been deprived of their due rights. He said that Karachiites were betrayed by those who claimed to be the representatives of the city. Instead of uplifting the status of the city and the citizens, the so called leaders only raised the living standards of their own families. He added that the city was victimized of the divide and rule policy.
Engr. Naeem further said that now the times has changed and there is no room for the politics of ethnic divide in Karachi. He said that all the burning issues of Karachi could be resolved only through unity and joint struggle under honest leadership.
He said that the rally is evident on the fact that Karachi has rejected the politics of fear and threat.
He strictly criticized the provincial police department for harassing innocent people in the pretext of operations. He said that police arrest scores of people and then release them after receiving hefty amounts in bribe. This situation is unacceptable, he said.
Criticizing the policies of federal and provincial governments, he said that the rulers have been sowing the seeds of unrest among masses.
He said that NADRA blocked millions of computerized national identity cards whereas the authorities are now reluctant to unblock the cards and the affected people are threatened and pressed with illogical demands. He urged the NADRA highups to shun such corrupt practice. He warned NADRA that JI would besiege their offices as well as governmental offices, including the Sindh governor house, if the affected cards are not unblocked.
JI, district west chief Abdul Razzak Khan, deputy chief Fazal Aahad and others also addressed the rally.
