KARACHI-Acting British High Commissioner Zoe Ware called on Mayor Karachi, Barrister Murtaza Wahab in his office at KMC building on Tuesday morning. She was accompanied by Deputy High Commissioner Sara Mohney and Political Adviser Batul Zahra.
The Acting British High Commissioner congratulated Barrister Murtaza Wahab on becoming the Mayor of Karachi and expressed best wishes. The Mayor of Karachi, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, welcomed the high commissioner on her arrival at the head office of KMC and said that Britain and Pakistan have friendly relations and the mutual relations between the two countries will be further promoted in the future.
Mayor Karachi, Barrister Murtaza Wahab informed the Acting High Commissioner that Karachi is the largest city of Pakistan and the center of industry and craft as it has an international airport and major ports, due to which commercial activities continue throughout the year. He said that the offices and banks of many major financial institutions are located in Karachi and due to its geographical location, Karachi holds much importance in this region. He said that there are vast investment opportunities in Karachi due to its closeness to large markets. British investors will be provided with all facilities, he said.
He said that Karachi is an international city, therefore the government is paying special attention to improving its infrastructure and municipal facilities. Karachi is rich in its civilization, culture and history and it is considered among the prominent cities of the world, he added.
Ms Zoe Ware said that Britain values Karachi and its citizens and Britain has provided support to Pakistan in various fields in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
Mayor calls for increasing recovery from major consumers of city
Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab has said that until the issue of recovery of municipal utility charges is resolved, the recovery should be increased from major consumers of the city, marriage halls, offices, banks and restaurants, and steps should be taken in this regard within a week. He gave these instructions while presiding over a meeting with the officers of the Department of Municipal Utility Charges and the Finance Department of KMC in his office on Monday.
He said that cleaning and lighting of pedestrian bridges at Sharea Faisal for ongoing beautification work should be carried out, finance department must make the financial matters transparent and better, and coordination of the finance department with all other departments of MC should be improved.
Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad, secretary general Pakistan Peoples party district south Karamullah Waqasi, Municipal Commissioner Nauman Arshad, Senior Director MUCT Tasneem Siddiqui and other officers were also present on this occasion.
Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that at present there is a recovery of 15 to 16 crore rupees in the whole year through municipal utility bills, in which steps are being taken to increase, but for the time being, such a system should be devised to focus all the big consumers in the city and charges should be collected from them. 
He said that he was giving one week’s time after which a meeting will be held again to review the progress in this regard.
He said that there are a total of 105 pedestrian bridges in Karachi, of which 50 bridges are under occupation, so work should be started on them immediately, banners, flags and wires etc. on all bridges should be removed immediately and lighting arrangements should be made. 
Give three days’ time to the concerned to bring the pedestrian bridges in proper condition and arrange cleaning and lighting of the bridges while making a formula for revising the rent of the other 55 bridges, he said.

He said that on Shariah Faisal, where the beautification work is going on, KMC will play its role to improve the bridges on all the intersections. After that, he said, he will visit Sharea Faisal and inspect all the things so that the situation can be improved.
 
While instructing the officers of the Finance Department, Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that measures should be taken to improve the financial situation of KMC, financial matters should be made transparent and better, and coordination of the Finance Department with all other departments of MC should be improved.