High-rises sans civic infrastructure to bring disaster: Altaf Shakoor.

Expressing concern over approval of cabinet to allow construction of up to 50-storied high-rises in Karachi without provision of supporting civic infrastructure, Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor has said such hastily decisions would create a huge disaster in the megacity, and the government before allowing erection of skyscrapers should ensure proper water, sanitation, electricity, roads, public transport and other supporting facilities. In a statement here Wednesday, he said the megacity has already sprawled in all directions but its civic infrastructure including water and sewerage lines are based on old designs when the megacity was relatively smaller. He said in every locality overflowing gutters and broken streets show that the civic infrastructure of the city has already been in shambles. He asked who is being favoured by allowing construction of skyscrapers in Karachi when the required civic facilities are simply missing there.

He said this whole matter smells fishy and it is feared that notorious activities of the same corruption and kickback mafia are once again in full swing. Altaf Shakoor said Karachi should be given the status of a charter city, so that its own citizens take decision for them and their coming generations. He said if we allow people of Dadu, Larkana or Islamabad to decide the fate of Karachi, they would simply destroy the city for their vested interests. He said these corrupt politicians would give every sort of permissions to collect bribe money to fund their next election campaigns as these elements have no political stake in...