KMC will need no grant if it properly manages its valuable assets, says minister

Sindh’s local government minister said on Wednesday that if the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) started to properly manage the valuable assets it owns, the municipal body would need no grant.

Syed Nasir Hussain Shah chaired an important meeting at the KMC headquarters to discuss the municipal body’s development projects. He said that appointing administrators for the KMC and the city’s district municipal corporations has brought a lot of improvement.

Shah said that priority must be given to the development projects already under way. He ordered inspections of these projects, and stressed giving priority to the important schemes in terms of completion. “If additional funds are needed, I’ll request the chief minister for a special grant.”

He directed Karachi Administrator Laeeq Ahmed to expedite the process of inspecting the KMC’s assets rented out at low rates and to make the city’s charged parking system transparent to increase the municipal body’s revenue.

He said that the outdoor advertising option is allowed in other major cities of Pakistan but Karachi is still exploring them due to a lack of by-laws for awarding contracts to advertising companies. He ordered nominating a focal person to prepare by-laws for advertisement.

Shah said that several mega projects completed by his department, including the Drigh Road and Mehran underpasses, are yet to be handed over to the KMC, and directed LG Secretary Najam Shah to hand them over to the municipal body after completing all the formalities.

The minister said that appropriate utilisation of the available resources and a proper strategy for it can resolve the KMC’s financial problems and help it make progress on the path of

stability and development.

Other development projects under the KMC, including the improvement of infrastructure in the city, were reviewed during the meeting and future strategies were devised. The financial situation of the municipal body and the availability of funds were also discussed.

The meeting was also attended by District South Deputy Commissioner Irshad Ali Sodhar, KMC Municipal Services Senior Director Masood Alam, Finance Adviser Afaq Saeed, Works & Services Director General Shabih-ul-Hassan Zaidi, LG Special Secretary Najeeb Ahmed and LG Minister’s Focal Person for KMC Karamullah Waqasi.