Karachi needs Rs1,000bn for its uplift but will get only Rs218bn this year: CM

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Saturday around Rs1,000 billion are needed for the development of Karachi every year, but the resources are limited and the city is set to receive only Rs218 billion for development this year.

He said this while speaking with office-bearers of the elected body of the National Press Club, Islamabad, who called on him at the CM House.

The meeting was held after the Islamabad journalists visited various districts of the province, including Thar, Sukkur and Gambat, where they commended the government’s development efforts.

The CM 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 Rs1,000 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, Shah said that under the city government of 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.

He pointed out that commercial activities were allowed on footpaths, where hundreds of shops had been 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.

Moreover, after hectic efforts, major nullahs have been cleaned, and the main roads constructed by his government have been 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 Red Line is 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 Peoples Bus Service, including Pink bus services dedicated to women, have provided relief to the people of Karachi.

The CM said the public-private partnership 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.

He Sindh is the only province which has constructed three bridges on the River Indus, of them two in the PPP mode. The main roads of Karachi-Thatta and Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas have also been constructed in the PPP mode.

In Karachi, the Malir Expressway is being constructed and its one portion will be opened for traffic by the end of this month. He noted that Sindh is 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. They said the crime was so low that hardly 50 FIRs were registered during a whole year.

The CM said the Pakistan Peoples Party has a Hindu MNA from Thar elected on a general seat and a Hindu MPA has also been elected from the Mirpurkhas city on a general seat. The speaker of the Sindh Assembly is a Christian.

The journalists informed the Chief minister that they had visited Begum Nusrat Bhutto Women’s University and Aror University in Sukkur. They mentioned that both universities are situated in beautiful locations and have impressive architecture.

They also toured the Gambat Hospital and praised its services. In response, the CM 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.

Shah said 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 the project has received ample funding due to its transparency.

The CM announced a grant for the National Press Club and instructed the information secretary to submit a proposal outlining the purpose of the grant.

Those who attended the meeting included provincial ministers Nasir Shah and Saeed Ghani, Secretary to CM Raheem Shaikh, and Secretary Information Nadeem Memon. The office-bearers of the National Press Club included President Azhar Jatoi, Vice President Shah Muhammad, Secretary Nayyar Ali, Senior Joint Secretary Onn Sheerazi, and joint secretaries Talat

Farooq and Sehrish Qureshi.