During a series of meetings held at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Tuesday regarding various developmental projects in Sindh, the president was informed that the bid documents were opened last month for short listing firms for issuance of Request for Proposal (RFP), containing conceptual master plan of the new proposed city of Zulfiqarabad in Sindh.
The process of submitting Conceptual Master Plan supported by its feasibility study would be completed by 12th December 2011, it was informed. In another meeting on high-rise buildings to save land, the president directed to rationalise and harmonise the procedure for granting permission for high-rise buildings in Karachi and other areas. He directed that relevant departments must work together and devise a simplified procedure that dispensed with vast discretionary powers and cut on delays and that a report be submitted in this regard within 15 days.
Briefing the media about Tuesday's meetings, spokesperson to President Farhatullah Babar said that three meetings on various issues concerning Sindh province were held which were chaired by the president and attended, among others, by Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, CM Sindh and concerned officials.
He said that during the meeting on Zulfiqarabad city project, Vice Chairman of Zulfiqarabad Development Authority Lieutenant General Iftikhar Hussain Shah (Retd), briefing the president, informed that the land at four coastal Talukas of District Thatta that include Keti Banderm Kharo Chhan, Shah Bunder and Jatti, has been identified for the proposed city.
The meeting was informed that efforts are underway to bring all the department in conformity that have developmental schemes in the proposed Zulfiqarabad city. The president was informed that Zulfiqarabad Development Authority is closely in liaison with Forest Department and Coastal Development Authority for their projects of plantation of mangroves in the proposed area and implementation of US $40 million loan in eight Talukas of District Thatta/Badin which also include four Talukas of Zulfiqarabad City. The president asked the consultants to be bold and creative in their planning so that the new city also met the challenges of the future.-PR