‘New Pakistan will remain incomplete without building a new Karachi’

Newly-appointed Federal Minister for Finance Asad Umar has said that the concept of a new Pakistan will remain utterly incomplete without building a new Karachi.

Speaking to journalists at the Karachi airport late Monday night when he arrived to the city after taking charge as finance minister, Umar said it was Prime Minister Imran Khan’s belief that a new Pakistan would be incomplete without a new Karachi.

A large number of supporters and activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf welcomed Umar at the airport upon his arrival.

The new minister said he resolved to bring back all the money that had been looted from the country and stashed in foreign accounts, so that the money could be spent on the wellbeing of Pakistanis.

Umar said under his tenure the functioning of the Federal Board of Revenue would be improved, while citizens would also benefit from the improved state of affairs of tourism, information technology and other national sectors.

According to the minister, in its maiden meeting, the federal cabinet had taken decisions in accordance with the preferences of PTI’s new federal government.

No public sector entity is ever destroyed owing to its workers and all such organizations would be strengthened, he said, adding that inefficient and corrupt management of such public sector entities would be changed.

Umar further said that the new federal government had started implementing its decisions with resolve. “Our preference will remain that public money should be spent on the welfare of the public,” he said.

He denied that he had given any statement regarding approaching the International Monetary Fund and said that all the options available would be debated to steer the country out of the persisting financial crisis.

The federal minister said that the issue of non-payment of pension to widows of employees of Pakistan Steel Mills would be resolved.

Unemployment is the topmost issue for the Pakistani youth and the government will create new job opportunities for the well-being of the national economy, Umar added.

He further clarified that the federal government would not change the incumbent governor of the State Bank of Pakistan.

Addressing Karachi's issues

Karachi has been a focal point for the PTI which campaigned in the city promising to address the various issues plaguing it. It emerged successful in the city in the July 25 general elections. To surprise of many political analysts, the leaders of PTI then signed an MoU with the MQM-P for the formation of a coalition government in the Centre. The MQM-P agreed to the coalition with the condition that the federal government would address the needs of Karachi and other urban areas of Sindh.

The two sides reached an agreement following a meeting at the residence of PTI Chairman Imran Khan earlier this month. The nine-point MoU carries the signatures of MQM-P’s Faisal Sabzwari, member Rabita Committee, and PTI leader Arif Alvi, who is also Karachi-based and heads the Sindh PTI Chapter.

MQM has stated several times that highlighting Karachi’s issues has been the main objective behind its decision to join the PTI’s coalition government.

The MoU says that the resolution passed by the National Assembly regarding the Karachi census and as decided in the Council of Common Interests (CCI) should be implemented immediately.

Moreover, it adds that in line with the PTI and MQM manifesto, the local government system in Sindh and Punjab does not conform to the constitutional requirements under Section 140 A. The PTI will support the petition of the MQM-P, which is before the Supreme Court of Pakistan in this regard. Similarly, Karachi operation shall be reviewed in totality and in consultation with all the stakeholders.

The MoU adds that urban centres of Sindh, including Karachi, have been severely neglected in the past. A direct financial package will be announced immediately that shall be disbursed by the federal government, with special emphasis on water.