10-member committee formed to implement Karachi package

A 10-member Provincial Coordination & Implementation Committee (PCIC) has been constituted with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah as its chairman to steer the affairs related to the recently announced historic Rs1.1 trillion special development package for Karachi.

The announcement of forming the committee was made through a notification dated September 15 that was issued by the chief secretary, who is also a member of the committee. The chairman of the Planning & Development Board of the Sindh Planning & Development Department is the committee’s secretary.

Other committee members are a representative of the Pakistan Army’s V Corps, the city commissioner, the city administrator, a representative of the National Disaster Management Authority, a representative of the federal government, the local government secretary and the transport & mass transit secretary.

The committee’s terms of reference include planning of the development projects to be implemented by the respective government authorities under the chairmanship of the province’s chief executive.

The committee will also serve as a forum for resolving impediments in the smooth implementation of projects as well as act as a central forum for coordination among all the stakeholders. The committee will ensure the implementation of the laid down timelines and carry out regular adjustments in the implementation of development projects in the city.

It will maintain the record of all projects and take the required actions to ensure due diligence and quality control. It will also monitor development works of executing organisations and facilitate execution by synergising public and private sectors.

The committee will recommend changes in organisation and executing agencies for effective progress of work. It will conduct projections of on-ground development through the media. It will also closely coordinate with law enforcement agencies to ensure their availability, whenever required, for smooth progress of projects.

The committee will carry out liaison with the relevant departments for priority of work, dispute of resolutions, etc. It will meet regularly — at least once a fortnight — to review progress and discuss future plans regarding the city’s development.

The notification quoted the chief secretary as saying that all the relevant agencies and institutions should nominate their representatives for the PCIC immediately, ordering the officials to assist the committee as and when required.

Announcing the Rs1.1 trillion development package for Karachi on September 5, Prime Minister Imran Khan had said that a PCIC would be formed comprising every relevant stakeholder to clear all the obstacles to ensure the implementation of all development projects included in the package in a timely manner.

The PM had admitted on the occasion that different land-owning agencies were operating in Karachi, and that it had been difficult to work for the city’s development under a unified strategy. He said the PCIC would ensure that the federal and Sindh governments were able to work for the development of the city without any issue of jurisdiction or land control.