Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has said that the federal government has been making all-out efforts for the development of the port city, adding Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken a personal interest in the development of Karachi.
Addressing a ceremony at Governor House in Karachi, the federal minister said: “[PM Imran] calls meetings, demands timelines and pressures all of us that we live up to the expectations of the people of Karachi for development projects.”
He maintained that the government had gone beyond its “personal responsibility” as Karach was not “an ordinary city”. “The Centre has stepped forward and is trying to address Karachi’s legitimate complaints and grievances,” Asad said.
Regarding the Karachi Transformation Plan (KTP), the minister said that the city for the first time would have a “modern transport system”, wherein the Green Line Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) had started on the prototype for a bus which will be completed by March.
“We hope to start delivery of buses in the month of June,” said Asaf, adding that the target was to have the Green Line operational by the months of July and August.
Components of the project include 22 bus stations, escalators and elevators, a bus depot at Surjani Town and a command and control centre in Saddar.
Furthermore, a consultant has been brought on board for the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) and similar swiftness in removing encroachments from stormwater drains is expected.
Moreover, 52 state-of-the-art firefighting fire tenders provided by a Chinese company were handed over to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).
The state-of-the-art firefighting vehicles were provided by a Chinese company and are different from traditional fire tenders that can only spray water.
The new fire truck products will greatly enhance the Karachi city government’s fire-fighting emergency rescue level and provide strong hardware support for the safety of the citizens, he said during the ceremony.
Elaborating on the types of deadlines they have to face, he informed the ceremony attendees that a meeting had been called for a revised schedule of the Greater Karachi Water Supply Scheme (K-IV project) since the timeline given for October 2023 was not accepted.
Separately, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi on Sunday has said that under the cover of a plantation, the government of Sindh was trying to encroach Karachi Port Trust land, despite an order issued by Supreme Court in this regard.
In a tweet, he said: “As usual GoS abusing its authority & acting as land grabbers”.
“KPT has sent a legal notice to GoS & initiated contempt proceedings”, the minister added.
A day earlier, while talking to a private news channel, Asad had said that the government had moved a constitutional amendment bill to conduct the Senate elections through an open ballot to discourage horse-trading practice and to ensure more transparency, adding that the ruling party would accept whatever decision the Supreme Court (SC) makes.
Asad had said that Prime Minister Imran is committed to his promise from day one to make electoral reforms to ensure more transparency in the system.
He had maintained the opposition parties’ alliance is doing agitation and negative politics in the country to get the NRO, but the government will not give them any kind of concession.
