KARACHI: City Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Friday ordered removal of graffiti from all public walls and roads across the city and added that those responsible for marking of public spaces should be held and prosecuted according to law.

He expressed these views during a meeting of the Karachi Beautification Task Force held at the head office of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).

The meeting was attended by Karachi commissioner Hassan Naqvi, DIG-Traffic Peer Muhammad Shah, managing director of Solid Waste Management Board, deputy commissioners from various districts, and heads of various municipal organisations.

He directed that food distribution points set up by charitable organisations under various bridges and flyovers should be shut down.

He emphasised that historical buildings along the main roads will be preserved, noting that there are 16 historic buildings on Abdullah Haroon Road.

A proposal has also been made to digitise signage of various institutions on I.I. Chundrigar Road.

The city mayor also announced that Conocarpus plants and trees along the roads would be removed and replaced with traditional trees native to Karachi.

Briefings were given on beautification plans for I.I. Chundrigar Road, Abdullah Haroon Road, Sharea Faisal, Shahrah-i-Pakistan and Karsaz Road.

The mayor instructed that the outer wall of Society Graveyard should be constructed in an aesthetically pleasing manner to enhance the appeal of the road.

He emphasised the need to improve parking facilities for wedding halls on Sharea Faisal and to upgrade the service roads on both sides of the same road. —APP