KWSB gets Rs200 million; underpasses to be constructed near Star Gate and Lines Area
Karachi
Sindh Minister for Local Government Jam Khan Shoro on Tuesday announced that a sum of Rs10 billion will be allocated for Karachi’s ongoing, as well as soon to commence developmental projects, in the upcoming budget , while Rs200 million were to be allocated for the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB).
Accompanied by Home Minister Sohail Anwar Sial and PPP MNA Faryal Talpur, the local government minister, while addressing a press conference at the Civic Centre, stated that new projects included construction of two underpasses, one near Star Gate and another in Lines Area, near wholesale market Metro.
With respect to issues related to local bodies’ management, Shoro demanded of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to return the money it apparently took away from the budget allocated for district municipal corporations (DMCs) for they were facing difficulty in paying their staff’s salaries.
Sindh minister for local government Jam Khan Shoro said we lodge a strong protest to FBR and demand to return the money.
Faryal while addressing the presser claimed she had been meaning to address the city’s issues for quite some time, for which she arranged a meeting with administrator Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Laiq Ahmed.
The MNA further spoke of the process of repair work being carried out at the Dhabeji pumping station and assured that the provincial government had prioritised completion of the K-IV project, to do away with the city’s water crisis.
Responding to a journalist’s claim that the previous KMC administrator appointed by her was incapable of getting the projects completed in time, Faryal remarked that she was not the designated authority to appoint an administrator for the civic body.
However, the officials’ could not give a satisfying response to questions with respect to a serious disconnect between implementation and announcement of the hefty packages.
Metropolitan commissioner Sami Siddiqui, KWSB managing director Misbah Farid and other senior KMC officers were also present on the occasion.
Before addressing the press conference Faryal Talpur was reported to also have held a meeting with senior officials of the KMC and KWSB.
Bilawal chairs meeting
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has urged the party’s coordination committee for Sindh to ensure adequate participation of women and minorities in the reorganisation process.
Presiding over a meeting of the Sindh Coordination Committee at Bilawal House on Tuesday, the PPP chief lauded the efforts being put in by the committee members for extensive interactions with workers. However, Bilawal stressed the Cneed to ensure that women, minorities and the youth were taken onboard in the reorganisation process, as only then could the process truly be an inclusive one.
The meeting was attended by MNA Faryal Talpur and coordination committee members Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Murad Ali Shah, Maula Bux Chandio, Nafeesa Shah, Rashid Hussain Rabbani and Political Secretary to the Chairman, Jameel Soomro.
The committee members earlier had briefed Bilawal on their outreach efforts in six districts – Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tando Mohammad Khan, and Hyderabad. The party chief was informed that the reorganisation process was starting to mobilise new workers and regenerating a sense of confidence among the existing supporters.