KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has advised the concerned members of Karachi’s business fraternity to approach him directly if they have any issues with the Sindh chief minister, or any provincial minister, and they shouldn’t lodge their complaints anywhere else.
Speaking at a reception held for Karachi’s business community, the PPP chairman put forth this piece of advice in the context of a video going viral on social media and TV news channels featuring a prominent leader of the Karachi traders community suggesting to Federal Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal that Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah should be swapped with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Later, the same trader leader clarified that he suggested that in a lighter vein.
Bilawal said the Sindh government and its Chief Minister Murad Ali deserved the credit that Karachi’s businessmen didn’t get any longer extortion and life threats. However, he conceded that several problems concerning the business fraternity were still unresolved and they would do their best to fix the issues.
“I request you to own PPP, we are not that bad...show us the same kind of affection you did to PTI [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf] and MQM [Muttahida Qaumi Movement].”
He mentioned that the concerned business fraternity had complained several times about the issue of land grabbing in Karachi. “The Peoples Party has been in power in Sindh so there is no point in raising this issue before someone else as I should receive these complaints. We will try to resolve the problems of businessmen,” he said.
“If today your factories have been operating, you don’t pay extortion money, labourers are not forced to observe strike, and everyone is doing his business with peace and tranquility, then the PPP also played a small role in all these achievements,” he said.
Bilawal told the audience that he had never asked any businessman to pay him any donation or extortion money. “My request is very simple. I should be simply informed if anyone has a complaint against me. I will never want you to become upset because of the elements who use my name or our government’s. If there is any problem, then it should be communicated to me clearly without concealing any official or any person who has demanded anything,” Bilawal further said.
The PPP chairman complained that decisions were taken by Islamabad without consulting them while they had to face repercussions of those steps.
He hailed the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model as a benchmark for driving economic growth and fostering nationwide prosperity. He urged the business community to collaborate with the Sindh government in forging sustainable partnerships.
Highlighting the potential for transformative impact, he called on stakeholders to propose “win-win projects” aimed at advancing green energy, upgrading infrastructure and enhancing essential utility services.
He appreciated the business community’s role in the development of Karachi and the country. He acknowledged the challenges faced by the business community and noted the significant improvements in Karachi’s situation compared to pre-2008 conditions. He emphasized that the elimination of extortion, threats, and forced participation in political activities has allowed businesses to operate peacefully, thanks in part to the efforts of PPP and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.
Bilawal acknowledged the existing challenges and reiterated his commitment to resolving them. He instructed the chief minister of Sindh to establish a special cell combining the Anti-Corruption Department and police to address the grievances of Karachi’s business community. He urged businesspersons to report specific complaints and name officials involved, instead of making general allegations.
Highlighting his interaction with the traders community, Bilawal said that working together could lead to better outcomes, adding that providing employment opportunities to his voters was a part of his manifesto. He emphasized that for the public to have access to job opportunities, it was essential for the country’s economy to thrive and for the traders community’s businesses to flourish.
While discussing the Sindh government Public-Private Partnership model, Bilawal said that Sindh is the only province where numerous projects under this model are not only running successfully but have also gained international recognition. “I want us to accelerate and further advance this Public-Private Partnership,” he added.
Referring to projects like the Jhirk-Mullah Katiar Bridge, healthcare initiatives and Thar Coal, he said that these were not only prime examples of good governance but also operating profitably and now generating revenue. “I want to explore more win-win opportunities of this nature, where the business community and the Sindh government work together to serve this province,” he added.
He urged the need for increased private investment in Sindh’s solar and wind energy sectors.
Criticising the federal government, he said, “They shamelessly claim that loadshedding has been eliminated, yet many areas in the country still suffer from power outages lasting up to 18 hours. We have lost confidence that we will ever get reliable electricity from the federal government.”
The PPP chairman said that solar and wind power parks could be established in every division of Sindh. He said that in the event of the federal government privatising electricity distribution companies (Discos), the Sindh government should take them over under public-private partnership, adding that work has already begun on three projects and more such projects would be included in the next financial year.
Bilawal criticised the federal government’s decision to construct six new canals on the Indus River, stating that this move would worsen the water situation in tail-end areas of the river, including Karachi. He said that when he opposed these canals, he was fighting for Karachi’s rights and standing up for the rights of its business community. He emphasised that the traders of Karachi, the people of Sindh, and the entire nation should demand the implementation of 1991 Water Accord. “Once this is done, we will be able to ensure water reaches every district and every area,” he said.
Earlier, speaking at the reception, Association of Builders and Developers (Abad) Chairman Hassan Bakshi told the audience that the construction industry of Pakistan had the potential and resolve to transform and build Karachi as a modern port city like Dubai. He called upon the Sindh government and Karachi mayor to speed up the infrastructure development in the city.
He said that action should be taken against dishonest elements in the Board of Revenue and Anti-Encroachment Force who connived with unlawful elements involved in land grabbing in the city.
The Abad chairman said the Sindh government should set a timeline on firm grounds to complete the project of digitising land records in Sindh. He suggested that at least for a single tenure the chief of Sindh Building Control Authority should be a representative of ABAD as this option was successfully exercised to manage and streamline the affairs of Lahore Development Authority.
He suggested to the PPP chairman that a law should be passed by the Sindh government to develop the Katchi Abadis in Sindh with the building of high-rises and construction of modern housing facilities for underprivileged communities. Bakshi mentioned that similar models had been successfully adopted for developing the shanty areas in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Noted businessman Arif Habib told the PPP chairman that all the members of the business fraternity were hard-working, dedicated and patriotic citizens of Pakistan who could assist the Peoples Party and other ruling parties deliver on their political promises. He said politicians and business fraternity could work together for the development and progress of Pakistan.
Noted business community leader Zubair Motiwala criticised the federal government for the recent massive hike in tariff of gas supplied to captive power plants of industries. He said the government should fully facilitate the industrial sector and subsidize the cost of operations of industries. He said that owing to the recent hike in energy cost, the industrial products produced by Pakistan would simply lose competitiveness in the international market against cheaper goods supplied by the rival regional economies. FPCCI President Atif Ikram praised the Sindh government for taking several steps for infrastructure development and sustained growth of the province. He said the launching of electric buses, women-only Pink buses, and soon introduction of electric taxi service would surely modernise the urban transportation network and service in Sindh.
Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that in the past the people of Sindh were not given their rights. The issues of Karachi are not new. “We are working to resolve them.”
Sindh Energy Minister Nasir Hussain Shah said that major schemes are proposed for other provinces by the federal government, adding that the big promises that are made are not fulfilled.
Business leader Fawad Anwar said that the biggest issues are the supply of gas and the increase in gas prices. He asked why Sindh should pay for gas if other provinces are not. He demanded being provided gas at the actual rate instead of subsidies.
He pointed out that Karachi contributes 50 per cent of the country’s taxes, yet an increase in taxes only affects the people of the city.
Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry President Jawed Bilwani said Karachi and Sindh are running the entire country. He asked why the federal government does not pay any attention to Karachi.
He urged the Centre to work with them in every matter. He pointed out that the electricity and water tariffs in Karachi are the highest among the entire country, so they should be revised. Business tycoon Aqeel Karim Dhedhi pointed out that the city needs public transport.
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