Barrister Murtaza Wahab inaugurates Urban Forest at Clifton Beach

KARACHI: (HRNW) Spokesperson of the Sindh Government and Advisor to CM Sindh on Law, Environmental, Climate Change, and Coastal Development Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that in the past the issue of climate change was never taken seriously and this is why Pakistan has been lowered to the position of world’s 5th most vulnerable country of its alarming impacts. It is a pity that no special measures were taken to develop the coastal belt of Karachi on which the Sindh Government thought that revolutionary steps should be taken about the adaptation of climate change. That is why the provincial government has initiated an urban forestry project on the coast under Public Private Partnership with an NGO SRO.

Talking to the media after inaugurating the Urban Forest Project at the Clifton Beach on Monday here, Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that the saplings to be planted in this project are indigenous and also some Japanese plants. In the project, 20 acres of land have been allotted for three million saplings. “Gone is the place where there was garbage before and today it is a pleasant atmosphere here” he added.

He further said that Ali Zaidi is not the Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs but the Minister for Federal Affairs on Twitter who is doing nothing but trying to spoil the positive work of others.

The Spokesperson of the Sindh Government said that in this positive work of establishing Urban Forest at the Karachi coast, we came out in good faith. We started the work first and then the media was invited to let it know we believe in actions rather than words.

Informing the journalists about this project he said that these saplings are being planted in the ground at a distance of 6 feet and a plant nursery has also been set up here for this purpose.

“I am sorry that some people do not work themselves and do not keep their promises. If someone does something then they try to make it controversial,” he told reporters.
He questioned that did this land not belong to Karachi Port Trust when garbage was being dumped and huts were being built here? It did not transpire to me at that time that this land belongs to Karachi Port Trust but now the Sindh Government is taking practical steps against environmental pollution so they are clamoring just to spoil our work. They are making vicious attempts to make it controversial with their statements.
Murtaza Wahab said that Ali Zaidi the Minister of Federal Affairs on Twitter should correct his record that all this land was not owned by Karachi Port Trust but by the Sindh Government. “These people are occupying Sindh Government’s lands and are blaming us,” he said.

He further said that 769 acres area of Karachi Port Trust is on Sindh Government’s lands and these people are occupying it. He said that all the documents for the accuracy of the record were available in the Supreme Court and if any attempt was made to make the land of the Sindh Government disputed then legal action would be taken
Pledging to highlight this issue in the Sindh Cabinet also, he said that these people are illegally occupying the land of Sindh and these people are forcibly stealing our land. He expresses his surprise that those who claimed to have been elected from Karachi but did nothing in practice. “The saplings we planted in 2019 have become fully-grown trees now,” he added.

Criticizing the Federal Minister Ali Zaidi, he said that he believed in China cutting and now these people were committing theft and extortion. He said that the selected representatives of the Federal Government are using their ATMs to save their power and these people are being brought to the Senate to save them. The target of these incompetents is not the welfare of the people and they have no political idealogy. These people are leading the country to disaster. Petrol prices have been increased six times.
He lamented that earlier these people used to say in the House that we will come to the government and reduce the prices but now where their promises and claims are gone. He said that all these things show that this is not a people’s government. From today onwards, I will name his party “Pakistan Tehreek-e-Istishal” (suppression).
Murtaza Wahab further said that Murad Ali Shah had hinted to give them a surprise soon and they would get that surprise on the 3rd of next month. It has now been established that Federal Government does not want an eco-friendly environment and believes in doing cosmetic activities only.

The Sindh Government spokesperson, while answering the questions of the journalists, said that these people should show us any legal documents which would prove that it belongs to the KPT. If it is proved, I will withdraw my claim. He said that the judiciary has already issued its verdict that land ownership is a provincial matter and constitutionally also it is purely a provincial subject.