Addressing the gathering the City Nazim emphasized upon the need for the citizens to come forward and take up the work into their own hands for the maintenance, upkeep and uplift of the city and its revamped and restored infrastructure, by voluntary participation in the spirit of owning the city.
He said that every citizen and anybody living and working here can register himself to become a “CITY OWNER” for which there is no pre-requisite at all. “You can be a professional, a student, a teacher, an officer, a CEO, a laborer, a vendor or doing any kind of job, you can become the “CITY OWNER”, the only requirement is your spirit to do something in the interest of the city” were the his words for the masses. Under this new concept there is no restriction of age, sex, gender, political affiliation or social status. Everyone was invited and encouraged to work at least two hours a week in the field of their own preference and during the hours of their own choice.
The citizens of Karachi were urged to register themselves at the designated desks at Civic Center CDGK office, the Town Offices, through Telephone Number 1339, and the CDGK web site where the registration forms are available. On 14th August 2008, all day long, the City Nazim, all the Town Nazims and Designated Officers of CDGK and Towns shall welcome and register one and all who may visit to register themselves. Within a period of two weeks these registered members will be issued “CITY OWNER” cards and modalities will be finalized to mobilize and depute for work the large number of expected designated “CITY OWNERS”.
The City Nazim also announced that each year 25 “CITY OWNERS” will be handsomely awarded as recognition of their extra-ordinary deeds while performing their voluntary work as City Owner. He was very optimistic that once this concept succeeds in Karachi it will be replicated throughout Pakistan resulting in an overall improvement and a revered change in the surroundings of each an every dwelling throughout the nation.
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Aug 14: Citizens of Karachi got themselves registered as “City Owners” on Thursday when good number of people including women responded to the appeal of City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal regarding voluntary community service for at least a couple of hours a week.
Festive mood was prevalent at the Civic Centre Lawn on 14th August-the first day of registration of city volunteers as thousands of people including laborers, students, artists, businessmen, sportsmen, government officers, elected representatives, office bearers of Arts Council, KATI, LATI, Baqai University, rickshaw/taxi drivers and even pesh imam received their membership card.
City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal, City Naib Nazim Mrs. Nasreen Jalil and DCO Karachi Javed Hanif were also present on the occasion.
Staff of City Government received registration forms from 10 am to 7pm on the first day. A total of 7050 forms were submitted on 14th August. Considering the rush of the people at the counter, the City Nazim also directed concerned department to set up the registration office at the ground floor of civic centre on permanent basis.
Earlier the City Nazim and DCO Karachi also obtained their cards while standing in queue. Nazim Karachi remained at the venue throughout the day and enquired from the people, visiting registration counter, about their fields of interest.
Most of the volunteers were included youths and common citizens while the City Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil, Town Nazmeen, elected representatives, Secretary Arts Council of Pakistan Ahmed Shah and members of governing body, senior police officer Niaz Siddiqui, Lieutenant General (R) Saeed Azhar, Vice Chancellor Baqai University, Chairman Korangi Association of Trade and Industry, Shaikh Fazal Jalil, Vice Chairman Johar Qandhari and former Chairman Masood Naqi, Senior Vice Chairman Landhi Association of Trade and Industry Dawood Jhagora, Ashraf Tai, Behroz Subzwari, Hanif S. Kalia, Samiullah, Agha Masood Hussain, Nadia Khan, Saira Khan, Ambreen Khan, Azfar, Mani, Naila Jaffery and other renowned personalities also received their cards as “City Owners”.
Talking to media representatives on this occasion, City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal said that the citizens of Karachi could not asked for better gift than this on their Independence Day.
He said that the volunteers will be issued with the same cards irrespective of their financial status or background and each one who would take the responsibility of protecting the trees or bus stop in front of their homes or business place will be the “City Owner”.
“We have installed beautiful bus stops in the city, now it is the duty of the citizens to come forward and protect these places while creating civic sense among the people. Instead of criticizing the government, citizens would now have to do practical work for at least two hours a week on voluntary basis like it happened in developed nations of the world,” he added.
Nazim Karachi further said that we have constructed big parks and made the city green by planting millions of trees besides the construction of beautiful roads, flyovers and underpasses. It is now the responsibility of the peoples to guard their own assets.
He said that a special section has been established at the city government for registration of “City Owners”. Instead of criticizing the government, its policies or projects, people should come forward and participate in the city’s development. |
Aug 15: City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has warned that the development projects completed in Karachi would get destroyed until and unless the citizens are come forward and takes the responsibility of their maintenance and preservation.
Addressing a huge gathering at the counter of City Owners Registration at Civic Centre Lawn on Thursday, he said that the City Government has worked day and night to complete several mega projects during the last two and half years and now it is working swiftly on the Green City project. He however expressed apprehension that billions of rupees expenditures incurred on these projects from public money would too get wasted if they are not properly maintained and protected by citizens themselves.
Nazim Karachi said that the citizens have responded well to the appeal for participation in City Owners Program which is a good omen. Considering the huge turn over and spirit of our citizens to serve and preserve the assets of their city, a registration counter has been established at the Civic Centre for issuance and submission of City Owner’s forms.
He said that being the biggest city of Pakistan, Karachi presents a model of public welfare works for whole country besides conveying the spirit of citizens in Karachi.
He expressed hope that one day every Pakistani would too work for Pakistan with the same spirit.
City Nazim said that the city government has so far planted 150,000 trees all over the city which have made the green belts at University Road, New M.A Jinnah Road, Sharea Faisal, Rashid Minhas Road, Karsaz Road, Sir Shah Suleman Road and other roads green and beautiful and now we all have to preserve and maintained this beauty of Karachi.
He asked the people to visit their nearby schools and health care units and inspect the facilities available there so that the government staff should get themselves prepared for the surveillance.
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