KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday chaired a follow-up meeting of the Business Facilitation Coordination Committee (BFCC), and made several decisions, including the resolution of the longstanding issue of the infrastructure cess to unlock Rs180 billion currently tied up in court for infrastructure development of Karachi.
During the meeting at the CM House, Information Minister Sharjeel Memon took up the issue of the infrastructure cess, against which business owners have filed a court case. Shah urged business owners to withdraw the case. He said that Rs180 billion is currently stuck in legal proceedings, and if the case is withdrawn, the funds can be allocated for infrastructure development. He formed a committee to resolve the issue through dialogue.
He decided to approach the federal government to seek representation for the provincial government and local business owners on K-Electric’s board. This collaborative effort aims to resolve the infrastructure cess issue and unlock the funds earmarked for critical infrastructure development. The meeting was told that seven sub-committees of the BFCC have been formed. The Industrial Policy & Ease of Doing Business Committee; the Infrastructure Sector Committee; the Housing, Construction & Town Planning Sector Committee; the Energy and Water & Sewerage Sector Committee; and the Encroachment / Land Grabbing Committee have already conducted meetings, and the decisions taken are being firmed up for necessary action.
Shah was asked to approach the Centre to take the necessary steps to reduce unaccounted-for gas losses and gas leakages, which, if controlled, would lead to lower gas prices and benefits for industries.
The meeting decided writing to the Centre to request the proper representation of the province on KE’s board. They agreed that one representative from the Centre, one from the business chamber, and one from the Sindh government should be part of KE’s decision-making body to resolve power outage, low voltage, and repair and maintenance issues.
Business owners expressed interest in working with the Sindh government on various coal projects. Shah directed the energy minister to finalise these projects in consultation with industrialists.
Industrialists voiced concerns that the Centre purchases gas in dollars but sells it in rupees, leading to price hikes. They suggested that energy deals not be made in foreign currency. Shah urged business leaders to prepare their proposals, saying that he would take up the matter with the Centre.
Discussing infrastructure issues in industrial areas, he said he would convene a meeting on February 26 to consult with industrialists on improving infrastructure in industrial zones.
Addressing urban issues, he noted that many traffic signals in Karachi are non-functional, and instructed the city mayor to ensure their restoration. He also directed him to get the traffic signals installed wherever they are required. He also decided to remove illegal warehouses established in designated parking areas, with the city commissioner tasked with executing this directive.