Strategic committee to propose invoking Article 149 in Karachi to PM: sources

KARACHI: The strategic committee mandated by Prime Minister Imran Khan to address woes of Karachi has started functioning to prepare a draft about the issues and their solutions for the megacity. 

Sources informed ARY News that the committee, comprising six members from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Muttahida Quami Movement each, is creating a draft of its proposals about the city, which will be presented to the premier.

The MQM has put forth a suggestion to form a chain of command to manage Karachi, sources added. Imposing Article 149 (4) in Karachi to take control of the administrative and financial matters of the city on an immediate basis is also included in the committee’s draft.

Along with the National Finance Commission (NFC), the implementation of  Provincial Finance Commission should also be ensured as per the draft. According to sources, the funds given to Karachi, in the past 11 years, will be audited.

The draft further suggests replacing all authorities with a single authority, which will be under the helm of the mayor.

MQM’s Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Kanwar Naveed, Waseem Akhtar, Amin-ul-Haq and Arshad Hasan are part of the committee while Faisal Vawda, Ali Zaidi, Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Haleem Adil, Khurram Sherzaman of PTI are also included in the committee.

While exclusively talking to ARY News on Wednesday, Federal Law Minister Farogh Naseem hinted at imposing Article 149 (4) in Karachi.“Finally, the time has come to impose Article 149 (4) and 140 of the constitution in the Karachi for the immediate resolution of its issues”, he said.