KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, during a meeting with the elected body of the National Press Club Islamabad, said that approximately Rs1,000 billion is needed for the development of Karachi every year, however, the resources are limited, despite this, the city is set to receive Rs218 billion for development this year.
The meeting was held at the CM House after the Islamabad journalists visited various districts of the province, including Thar, Sukkur, and Gambat, where they commended the government’s development efforts.
Murad Shah mentioned in response to a question that a World Bank study conducted by the Sindh government revealed that $3 billion is needed to make Karachi a livable city.
He suggested that although the required funds are substantial, around Rs1000 billion should be spent on the development and reconstruction of Karachi’s infrastructure. “Due to resource constraints, only Rs218 billion has been allocated for Karachi’s development,” he said.
To another question, the CM said that under the City Government Karachi, the embankments of main Nullahs were allotted, and whatever space was left was allowed to be encroached. As a result, the cleaning of the Nullahs became a serious issue, and the city kept submerging during heavy rains.
Shah pointed out that commercial activities were allowed on the footpath, where hundreds of shops were set up. The important roads that needed to be kept non-commercial were made commercial by allowing the establishment of commercial markets and centres, resulting in traffic congestion becoming another issue.
Karachi: Sindh CM announces Rs200bn development plan
Murad Shah said that after hectic efforts, major nullahs have been cleaned, and the main roads constructed by his government were given stormwater drains to resolve standing water issues. He added that major roads have been reconstructed and constructed, and various flyovers and underpasses developed for a smooth flow of traffic.
The provincial government has developed the BRT Orange line, and work on the BRT Redline was in full swing, followed by the yellow line. “Karachi is a metropolis city, and we are committed to our people and would resolve all its issues,” he vowed. He added that People’s Bus Service, including Pink bus services dedicated to women, have provided relief to the people of Karachi.
The CM said that the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Unit of his government was the most successful in terms of its transparency and performance. He added that it has been ranked 6th in Asia.
Shah said that Sindh was the only province which has constructed three bridges on the River Indus, of them two in PPP mode. The main roads, Karachi-Thatta, Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas have also been constructed in PPP mode. In Karachi, Malir expressway is being constructed and its one portion will be opened for traffic by the end of this month. He added that Sindh was the only government which has constructed an airport in Thar.
The visiting journalists told the CM that they visited Thar where Hindus were seen leading a harmonised life. The newsmen said that the crime was so low that hardly 50 FIRs were registered during a whole year.
The CM said that PPP has a Hindu MNA from Thar elected on a general seat and a Hindu MPA has also been elected from Mirpurkhas city on a general seat. The speaker of the Sindh Assembly is a Christian.
The journalist informed the Chief Minister that they had visited Begum Nusrat Bhutto Women’s University and Arur University in Sukkur. They mentioned that both universities are situated in beautiful locations and have impressive architecture.
They also toured Gambat Hospital and praised its services. In response, the Chief Minister mentioned that he was also responsible for the development of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), and the National Institute of Child Health (NICH). He added that these three hospitals serve the entire Pakistan and even patients from neighbouring countries. He explained that a 25-year agreement had been signed with the federal government to run these hospitals, as the Supreme Court had decided to hand over the hospitals to the federal government.
Murad Shah said that his government is building over two million houses for people affected by floods, with a budget of Rs600 billion. He mentioned that the funds have been secured through the support of donor agencies, the federal government, and his government’s resources. He also said that the project has received ample funding due to its transparency.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the chief minister announced a grant for the National Press Club in Islamabad and instructed the Secretary of Information to submit a proposal outlining the purpose of the grant.
Those who attended the meeting include provincial ministers, Nasir Shah, Saeed Ghani, Secretary to CM Raheem Shaikh, and Secretary Information Nadeem Memon.
The office bearers of the National Press Club Islamabad include President Azhar Jatoi, Vice President Shah Muhammad, Secretary Nayyar Ali, Senior Joint Secretary Oun Sheerazi, Joint Secretaries Talat Farooq, Sehrish Qureshi, and governing body.