Karachi: Chairman of the Pasban Democratic Party, Altaf Shakoor, has called for a transparent investigation into the poor construction of roads in Karachi, highlighting the recent deterioration during rains which exposed the substandard infrastructure. Shakoor urged that action be taken against corrupt officials and contractors responsible for the billions in taxpayer losses, describing the situation as a violation of human rights.
According to Pasban Democratic Party, Shakoor criticized the consistent assignment of government contracts to specific contractors and materials suppliers in Sindh, suggesting this practice contributed heavily to the infrastructural issues. He emphasized the need for the civil society to initiate a constitutional petition in the Sindh High Court against the subpar road construction to prevent further financial and structural decay. Moreover, Shakoor proposed that road construction projects be handed over to the civil engineering departments of local universities to ensure quality and provide practical training.
In a Pasban Steering Committee meeting, it was revealed that recent rains significantly damaged Main University Road and Jahangir Road, which had been repaired just a few months prior. Shakoor contrasted this with the situation in Lahore, where the infrastructure suffered far less damage, attributing this resilience to lower levels of corruption in Punjab compared to Sindh. He pointed out that corruption in Sindh involved not only contractors but also government officials at various levels, from officers to department ministers, all of whom allegedly receive kickbacks from these corrupt dealings. Shakoor emphasized that a transparent investigation could uncover the political affiliations of these contractors, potentially leading to broader accountability.