KARACHI: Construction of houses started at Media Town in Hawksbay on Saturday, 21 years after the land was allotted to journalists of the city.

Journalists from both print and electronic media attended the groundbreaking ceremony. High-ranking officials of the Lyari Development Authority and several contractors were also present to participate in the construction which until now had remained a dream for over 1,200 journalists to whom the plots had been allotted. In fact, several senior members of the housing scheme have died during the 21 years of no groundwork.

On the occasion, Karachi Press Club (KPC) president Ahmed Malik and senior members of the club’s governing body encouraged fellow journalists to build their houses in Media Town.

In a statement KPC secretary Maqsood Yusufi, who could not attend the ceremony, expressed his satisfaction over the development and extended full support of the KPC in this regard. The land was allocated to media persons by former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 1997.

Journalists have asked the Sindh government to help them in the construction work, by providing them with essentials like water, gas and electricity, and build roads in and around the Media Town. They urged Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to help them develop the scheme initiated by the late prime minister.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2018