Sindh Governor Imran Ismail has said that he would talk to the relevant authorities of the federal and Sindh governments to remove all impediments to the completion of the Green Line bus project in Karachi.
Ismail made the vow on Tuesday, on his first working day at the Governor House, where he chaired a top-level meeting to receive briefing from the officials on the status of the projects in progress across the city under the Centre’s special development package.
The Green Line project was launched by the previous federal administration of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. Ismail, who has been appointed by the new Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government, said the project would provide much-needed modern, comfortable and speedy mass transportation facilities to the city.
The new governor was briefed by the officials of the Karachi Infrastructure Development Company, which is responsible for building the corridor for the Green Line service, that the project has been completed from Surjani Town to Guru Mandir, while work is under way on the latter phase of the project until the KMC Municipal Park near MA Jinnah Road.
Ismail was informed that the project’s construction has been facing certain difficulties in the portion in front of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s mausoleum owing to the peculiar strict building by-laws for the locality.
The officials also briefed him on the progress of the flyovers being built on the KDA, Five-Star and Sakhi Hassan roundabouts as well as the reconstruction of Manghopir and Nishtar roads. He was also informed about the progress of the procurement of firefighting essentials and other necessary machinery for the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.
The governor asked the officials to prepare a working paper on the basis of all the obstacles being faced by them in the construction of the Centre’s mega development projects in the city.
Mazar-e-Quaid
Earlier in the day, Ismail visited Mazar-e-Quaid to offer Fateha and pay his respects to the nation’s founder after he assumed charge of the coveted constitutional position on Monday.
Talking to the media, he said efforts would be made on a preferential basis to resolve the long-standing issue of potable water scarcity, adding that he would talk to the finance and prime ministers.
He said the new premier has the vision to build a new Pakistan in accordance with the vision of the nation’s founder at the time of Pakistan’s creation.
The governor said he would strive hard to serve the people of the province with complete sincerity, integrity and honesty, adding that he would work very hard for the welfare of the people.
Ismail said he would take on board all the political parties, whether or not they have representation in the elected assemblies, for the sake of the development and progress of Sindh.
He said that all the relevant political stakeholders would be consulted and taken onboard to serve the masses of the province with the best of the abilities.
The governor said that in this regard he would hold consultations with the representatives of the Pakistan Peoples Party, the Grand Democratic Alliance, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and all the other concerned political parties so they could work together for the good of the people of the province.