Senator Robert Casey, a member of US Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, accompanied by Principal Advisor for Foreign Affairs Jofi Joseph and US Consul General at Karachi, Kay L. Anske, met City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal here on Tuesday.
During the meeting which continued for 75 minutes, matters relating to Karachi, particularly its reconstruction and development, came under discussion. Senator Robert Kasey appreciated the development works carried out in Karachi and said it is a good omen that this city has made speedy development strides and mega projects completed in a very short period and steps taken for solving the problems of citizens.
He said that importance of Karachi is also acknowledged by Washington because it is a most important city not only of Pakistan, but also the entire region. Mustafa Kamal said, on the occasion, that the city government, during the last two years, completed the development schemes in all parts of the city without any discrimination and remaining above politics.
He said Karachi had a lot of problems and for the first time city's master plan was approved in which equal attention has been paid to city's all civic problems. He informed the visiting Senator that for the first time infrastructure was specially focused to meet the needs of citizens' water and sewerage infrastructure laid in areas where it was non-existent by spending huge amount.
Mutafa Kamal said that Karachi is now being given importance world over and the basic reason for this was that city government carried out extraordinary development works in 27 months and organised its international marketing. He pointed out that Karachi serves as backbone not only of Pakistan but is also a most important city geographically.
He informed that special steps have been taken to provide all possible facilities to investors, businessmen and industrialists and as a result Karachi has become a center of focus for foreign investors.
During the last two years, foreign direct investment of many billion dollars has been made here as a result of steps taken by the government. He said the city government has made offer to foreign investors for making investment here while the government will provide all facilities and incentives for protection of their investment.