MQM-P proposes Rs38bn direct federal funding for Karachi’s development

ISLAMABAD: A delegation from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) led by the party chairman and federal minister for information technology Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui called on Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday.

Theh participants of the meeting included MQM-P leaders Syed Aminul Haque and Javed Hanif, along with Deputy Chairman of Planning Dr Jehanzaib Khan. According to a spokesperson for the MQM-P, party leaders discussed with the deputy PM their proposals for the upcoming fiscal budget that included a five-year socioeconomic development plan for Karachi.

The MQM-P has specifically proposed direct federal funding of Rs38 billion for the development of Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah and Sukkur. The party also wants interest-free loans to be provided to the youths of urban areas of Sindh, including Karachi and Hyderabad, through the Kamyab Jawan Youth Programme.

The provision of complete funds for the K-IV project in this fiscal year and its completion under the supervision of the SIFC was also part of the proposals, the spokesperson said.

The MQM-P’s budget proposals also include extending the Green Line project, and allocating funds for the Blue Line and Karachi Circular Railway projects.

The MQM-P also wanted the completion of the Greater Karachi Sewerage Plan (S-III) during the coming fiscal year, the spokesperson added.

The MQM-P delegation expressed the hope that the government would incorporate its proposals into the budget, which would increase the trust of the people of Sindh’s urban areas in the government, the party said in a statement.