EDITORIAL (June 26 2009): As revealed in a press release issued by City District Government Karachi (CDGK), addressing a huge gathering of employees of the City Government Karachi, its subsidiaries and town administrations, City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal floated the novel idea of establishing the "Karachi Development Trust" (KDT), to carry on the process of development and maintenance of the infrastructure in Karachi.
Ostensibly, riddled by what may be described as the Federal government's elongated step-motherly apathy toward the accumulated woes of the burgeoning megalopolis, the outline of the plan he spelled out sounded like the outburst of collective wisdom of righteously agonised Karachiites. For, as the City Nazim unambiguously put it, Karachi earns 70 percent of the national revenue, of which it gets no more than a mere two percent on the total income, payment of that paltry amount depending on the better financial conditions of the country.
Needless to point out, viewed in such a harrowing perspective, the conclusion he has drawn should appeal to reason. For, nobody in his right senses, would deny that under such adverse circumstances, it is well-nigh impossible to continue uninterruptedly with the process of reconstruction and development in Karachi.
Even though it is boasted by changing governments to be the backbone of the national economy, though ever-remaining unmindful of the consequences of its breaking apart. As such, the City Nazim's idea of resorting to the unfailing approach of self-help will sound synonymous to turning an obscurity into an opportunity.
This will thus, sum up his conclusion that the citizens of Karachi would now, themselves, contribute to the development of their city. For, from it, they will have all the reason to derive the satisfaction of serving a city to which they owe so much.
It will also be noted that so sure was he of the success of this self-help thrust that he, himself, submitted the form to donate one thousand rupees per month in the account of the Trust, saying that if all account holders would donate only Rs 5 to this account, then the City Government would collect Rs 45 million monthly. Simple logic, which should appeal to all Karachiites, thereby, prompting them, whole-heartedly, to participate in such a vastly rewarding exercise.
In so far as the utilisation of the fund collected under the proposed Trust is concerned, he dropped the hint of its authorisation by a five-member board, comprising non-controversial and non-political personalities, also suggesting, for instance, former Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid, former Governor of State Bank Dr Ishrat Husain and famous renal surgeon Dr Adeebul Hassan Rizvi as possible trustees. One has all the reason to hope that the City Government would proceed with the task it has taken upon itself, in the manner it deserves, with the active co-operation of all segments of the city's population.
