Centre to induct Sindh govt, PPP nominees into its Karachi Transformation Committee

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led federal government intends to give due representation to the Pakistan Peoples Party and its Sindh government in the federally-constituted Karachi Transformation Committee to ensure a broader oversight and improved monitoring of federally-funded development projects being built in the city.

This was stated by President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi and Sindh Governor Imran Ismail during a press conference at the Governor House on Tuesday.

The PTI-led federal government had earlier this month announced the said high-powered committee to transform Karachi. However, the Sindh government expressed serious reservations over the constitution of such a committee, terming it a violation of the 18th Constitutional Amendment and an encroachment on the domain of provincial autonomy. Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah recently wrote a letter to the Sindh governor to convey these reservations.

Tuesday’s press conference by President Alvi and Governor Ismail was held after an introductory meeting of the Karachi Transformation Committee (KTC) was held at the Governor House with the president in chair.

Governor Ismail, the convener of the committee, Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda, Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar, Karachi Infrastructure Development Company Limited CEO and other members of the committee attended the meeting.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, Governor Ismail said the federal government wanted to enter into a partnership with the Sindh government of PPP for the sake of Karachi’s development. He said he had held a meeting with Sindh Information Adviser Barrister Murtaza Wahab earlier in the day to allay the reservations of the Sindh government on this issue.

Governor Ismail said they wanted due representation of the Sindh government in the committee constituted by the federal government for transformation and development of Karachi.

KTC mostly comprises professionals like town planners, engineers and architects, instead of the usual political nominees because the input of such people was essential to transform the city, he said.

The governor hoped that representatives of PPP would attend the next meeting of KTC and that Karachi would soon be seen as a metropolis getting phenomenally transformed with the passage of time. He also expressed the desire to meet the Sindh CM soon to allay his reservations as well.

President Alvi reiterated the government’s resolve to end encroachments on the proposed route of the Karachi Circular Railway in the city. Alternative arrangements would be made for resettlement of the people who had to be shifted to end encroachment, he said.

The president added that he had talked to the governor, authorities of the Ministry of Railway and Mayor Akhtar regarding the revival of the KCR to know the extent of encroachments. Knowing this, he said, would be helpful in planning resettlement options for the affectees.

He acknowledged that mass transportation and water supply were two major civic issues of the megacity. President Alvi proposed that the Sindh government should built a provincial Water Regulatory Authority to build the proposed projects like K-IV Bulk Water Supply Scheme and desalination plants for the city in a better manner.

Earlier, the aims and objectives of the KTC were reviewed in detail during the meeting. KIDCL CEO Saleh Farooqi informed the participants about vision 2047 for Karachi that aims at developing a comprehensive master infrastructure plan for the city with clean drinking water, modern health techniques, upgraded education facilities and a viable transport structure.