100 new projects ready for Karachi

ISLAMABAD: A meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan was informed Thursday that more than 100 projects had been planned under the Karachi Transformation Plan (KTP), to be completed in three phases at the cost of Rs1.117 trillion.

Imran Khan presided over the meeting on the Karachi Transformation Plan, which was attended by federal ministers Shaikh Rasheed Ahmed, Asad Umar, Faisal Vawda, Finance Adviser Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

The meeting was briefed on the progress made so far on these projects. Stressing on the timely completion of projects, the prime minister said that a permanent solution to Karachi's problems was imperative. The prime minister said that the damage caused by rainwater in Karachi during monsoon every year was due to illegal constructions on drains.

The prime minister directed that alternate arrangements should be made in advance for the deserving residents of Karachi before removing the encroachments. He also directed the formation of a technical committee under the Ministry of Planning to formulate recommendations for enhancing the capacity and utility of the K4 project to supply water to Karachi.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan presided over a meeting on Pakistan Islands Development Authority and Ravi Urban Development Authority. The meeting was attended by Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, chairmen of both authorities and senior government officials. The meeting was also attended by representatives of AWTEC, a Dutch company interested in investing in projects. AWTEC Netherlands proposes to build a waste energy and desalination plant in Karachi. It also expressed keen interest in the Ravi project and the establishment of a renewable energy plant in Lahore.

The prime minister said that the problems in Pakistan are increasing day by day due to lack of proper management of waste. He said that Pakistan’s water resources, especially the coastal belt, are most affected by it. The prime minister said that such projects would help in providing world class housing facilities in our cities.

Meanwhile, chairing the weekly meeting of the National Coordinating Committee for Housing, Construction and Development, the premier said there is no shortage of electricity in the country, so there is no justification for delay in providing new power connections. He instructed to make the approval procedure for utility services easier for the consumers.

The meeting was attended by Adviser to PM Ishrat Hussain, Imran Ismail, special assistants Dr Shahbaz Gill and Zulfiqar Bukhari besides senior officials.

The prime minister directed that under the scheme, no additional financial burden should be imposed on those who take loans from banks on easy terms to get their house. He said the aim of the government is to provide shelter to the homeless to make sure that they are provided with facilities and basic amenities.

He emphasised that the long process of getting approvals for obtaining variousutility services should be facilitated as the prevailing procedure is creating difficulties for the construction sector.

The premier directed the FBR chairman and other agencies concerned to provide facilities to overseas investors. He said: “Pakistanis living abroad are our most valuable assets so barriers to their participation in domestic business activities should be removed on a priority basis.”

The meeting was briefed by the energy and petroleum divisions on facilitating the supply of electricity and gas connections for new construction projects. The Ministry of Energy was directed to formulate standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the construction of new grid stations and implement them in the future. The secretary, Ministry of Housing and Works, informed the meeting about the Pakistan Quarters Housing Project to be built in Karachi. Under the project, 6,000 apartments will be constructed for which consultations are under way with the Sindh government and other departments concerned. In the first phase of the project, work will start on 700 residential units at a cost of Rs 4 billion over the next three months. He said that after the approval of the ministry, five private plots in Islamabad were auctioned for more than Rs 13 billion, which would provide employment to 10,000 people besides bringing investment of Rs50 billion.

Meanwhile, Zulfiqar Bukhari called on the prime minister and they discussed the plan to build 1,500 houses under the Workers Welfare Fund. The project will provide standard and affordable housing as well as all basic amenities and will be inaugurated in January next.

The prime minister lauded the project as a practical manifestation of the current government's commitment for affordable housing to people. According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister Office, the Asian Development Bank signed development projects in two districts of Punjab. Special Assistant to PM Usman Dar said the prime minister signed an agreement to provide financial assistance to development projects. Under the agreement, development works worth Rs40 billion will be carried out in Sahiwal and Sialkot.