US MAGAZINE FEATURES SYED MUSTAFA KAMAL AS MAYOR OF THE MOMENT

US MAGAZINE FEATURES SYED MUSTAFA KAMAL AS MAYOR OF THE MOMENT.
09 Nov 2008:
Karachi Nov 09: The award winning American Magazine Foreign Policy has featured Nazim Karachi Syed Mustafa Kamal as the mayor of the moment in its global cities index for 2008. The magazine in its article highlighted the innovative things done by three of the world’s mayors against enormous odds. The other two mayors are Klaus Wowereit and Wang Hongju of Berlin and Chongqing respectively.

(http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4509&page=3)

In its exclusive report the magazine said no city globalizes on its own. But with shrewd investments and smart urban planning, a mayor can help turn a regional player into a global powerhouse. Here’s how three of the world’s top mayors are climbing the ladder.

About Syed Mustafa Kamal the magazine wrote that the mayor of Karachi is an unlikely poster child for innovative urban planning. The 36-year-old Syed Mustafa Kamal governs a city that’s more often in the news for religious violence than cosmopolitan ways. But the hard-charging Kamal is looking to change all that. He’s courting foreign investment, encouraging international ties, and boosting the city’s tourism. Kamal isn’t shy about his goals: He has said he wants to turn Karachi into the “next Dubai.” His Green Karachi project aims to plant thousands of trees in the city. Kamal isn’t letting anything stand in the way of his grand plans: He has threatened to arrest anyone who tries to cut down the new saplings.

Meanwhile City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has thanked almighty for this appreciation and congratulated his party leader Mr. Altaf Hussain.

In a statement from London on Sunday, Syed Mustafa Kamal said that all credit for this should go to my leader Mr. Altaf Hussain who has selected the representatives from lower and middle class that represents 98 percent of the total population of the country. It is also the recognition of the philosophy of MQM and the 30 year long struggle of its leader Mr. Altaf Hussain.

He said that in past owner ship concept was not existed in Karachi, however we owned this city and carried out development works on large scale and despite of that lot of work is still to be done.

He said that provided the Haq Parast continued with the city government, all unresolved problems will also be solved in future. Mustafa Kamal said that despite of all the obstacles and different kinds of challenges and difficulties faced by my team, we have never let down our people and we will continue to do so in future also.

Citing the absence of one command and controlling authority for the city, Nazim Karachi said that at present 13 organizations are controlling the city’s municipal affairs which have made the situation very difficult for development of city. We have contacted every where from top to bottom and from the President of Pakistan everyone who has anything to do with the policy and decision making and now they should pay attention on this.

He said that Karachi is no ordinary city but it is the backbone of national economy. We have developed Karachi so that the country could also develop and the people of Pakistan get the fruit of prosperity. Nazim Karachi said that my whole team from a peon and driver to top city government officials, City Naib Nazim, town nazims, union nazims and all elected representatives of Karachi played their important role in the recognition of my performance at international level.