Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani has conceded that municipal institutions are not functioning as efficiently to serve the public as they should.
He was speaking at a ceremony organised by the Local Bodies Reporters Association (LIBRA) at the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Sports Complex, where senior journalist Shehzad Chughtai was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ghani spoke on the importance of journalism and the need for reporting the truth in a responsible manner. "Journalists should write the truth so that we can take notice and bring about improvements," he said.
The event was attended by senior journalist and former President of Karachi Press Club Imtiaz Khan Faran, LIBRA's founder and General Secretary Imran Ali Shah, journalists Iqtidar Anwar and Malik Aftab, Karachi Jamaat-e-Islami spokesperson Zahid Askari, and LIBRA Finance Secretary Abid Abbasi among others.
As Chughtai was not present, his award was received by LIBRA President Tanveer Syed.
Ghani expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), citing the presence of thousands of illegal buildings. He urged the media to play a role in halting the construction of new illegal structures. "At least the media can help stop new [illegal] constructions," he said.
Highlighting his deep connection with journalists, Ghani said that while there might be differences with some, his relationship with the press remained strong. "If journalists report with honesty and facts, we are ready to take notice. But if they make news based on hearsay, who will believe them?" he said.
Paying tribute to Chughtai, Ghani described him as a role model for local government journalists. He also assured LIBRA of the government’s support.
Faran praised LIBRA's efforts and called for greater accountability of all municipal institutions, including Defence Housing Authority and the cantonment boards. He encouraged young journalists to benefit from the experience of Chughtai.
The LIBRA general secretary recalled the challenges that they faced in establishing the association and credited Chughtai's mentorship for the association's success.
During the ceremony, KDA Director General Syed Shujaat Hussain distributed awards to senior journalists and LIBRA members, while LIBRA President Tanveer Syed thanked the attendees for their participation.