Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani and Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar debated the creation of another district by the provincial government in TV programme the other night, as the PTI and MQM-P accused the PPP of dividing Karachi for political reasons. Ghani said the setting up of Keamari district in the port city of Karachi was purely an administrative issue – an argument of the Sindh government which has been rejected by opposition parties in the province. “The issue [relating the establishment of the Keamari district] had been long under discussion and was delayed by numerous administrative problems,” said Ghani i. He went on to say that Karachi used to have three districts which later increased to seven, adding that new districts have been formed in other cities of the province as well. He said that new districts had been carved out of the city to facilitate the people and ensure better management. However, Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar lashed out at the provincial government’s decision to set up the Keamari district, saying “May God have mercy on this decision of the Sindh government”. He challenged Ghani’s assertion that the new district was made for better management of the city, adding that everyone was a witness to what had happened to the Malir district after it was created. Akhtar said Karachi had been destroyed after it was divided into six districts. He complained that the local government was not approached before the decision about the new district was. Brushing aside Akhtar’s complaint, Ghani responded by saying that the local government had nothing to do with the creation of the new district and instead, it’s the job of the revenue department to do that. The mayor said, “Our petition regarding the demarcations are pending before the Election Commission of Pakistan.” He said all departments, including police, should be brought under the control of the mayor.
