Murad promises more development funds for Karachi

CM and mayor decide to launch anti-encroachment drive

The Sindh chief minister assured the Karachi mayor on Wednesday that he would arrange more funds for the city.

“Serving the citizens of Karachi is above politics and party affiliations. This is my city too and we all have to make it clean and beautiful,” Murad Ali Shah told Waseem Akhtar, who called on him along with local government minister Jam Khan Shoro at the Chief Minister’s House. Deputy mayor Arshad Vohra was also present on the occasion.

The chief minister noted that Karachi was facing several issues including dilapidated roads, broken or chocked sewage pipelines, and a poor garbage disposal service

He added that he had been regularly inspecting the quality and pace of the ongoing development works under the umbrella of Rs10 billion Karachi package.

The mayor told the chief minister that apart from these issues, there were also the problems of the shortage of fire tenders and snorkels and the poor condition of parks. Akhtar added that he had chalked out a plan to make his 100-day cleanliness campaign in the city successful wherein small repair and maintenance work of roads and water and drainage supply lines would be undertaken if the provincial government would assist the local government.

The chief minister responded that the provincial government was ready to assist the mayor and arrange more funds for the city.

The chief minister directed the local government minister to hold a meeting with the mayor and work out a plan to revamp roads, water supply lines, and the drainage system, buy fire tenders and develop a mechanism for garbage disposal.

It was decided that the management of the parks which were in a poor condition would be outsourced under the “adopt a park” programme.

They also discussed and decided to award the contract for the maintenance of snorkels to private companies.

The participants of the meeting decided to remove encroachments along the roads and bulldoze illegal constructions in different localities for which the provincial government would provide the anti-encroachment force to the mayor.

All districts to be developed

The chief minister at a meeting with Pakistan People’s Party MPAs said he was taking personal interest in the development of each and every district of the province. “No district would be left undeveloped,” he added.

The MPAs included Imtiaz Shaikh, Sajid Jokhio, and Murtaza Baloch. District Council Karachi chairman Salman Murad was also present at the meeting.

Imtiaz Shaikh said the drainage system in Shikarpur was completely dilapidated and sewage water could be seen on its roads and streets.

The chief minister said he would announce drainage schemes and other development projects for Shikarpur.

Talking to Sajjid Jokhio, Murtaza Baloch and Murad, the chief minister said that road from the Karachi airport to Quaidabad and Steel Town was being reconstructed and the water supply and drainage lines were being replaced.

He also said that the development and encroachment issues of the Malir district would also be addressed properly.

Japanese ambassador

Japanese ambassador Takashi Kurai met the chief minister and discussed the development schemes in the province being assisted by his country.

The ambassador told the chief minister that the Japanese government was keen to support Sindh in social sectors including education and health. He also said Japan would also support the Sindh government in the energy sector, particularly in the field of renewable energy.

In the meeting they agreed that additional chief secretary (development) Waseem Ahmed would hold more meetings with the Japanese development team.

Former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani also held a meeting with the chief minister wherein they discussed the Pakistan People’s Party’s organisational matters.