-Forms six member committee to fast track development work, resolve issues
-Committee to resolve top issues including water, sewerage, transport, roads infrastructure, solid waste disposal and clearance of encroachments
By Ajmal Khan Yousafzai
ISLAMABAD: The Federal and Sindh governments on Wednesday decided to set up a six member committee to jointly look into the issues of Karachi city and to ensure early completion of the long standing development projects of the city.
Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar during a media briefing here, informed that both sides met for the third time today where they reached at a consensus to work together in six priority areas including water, sewerage system, transport, roads infrastructure, solid waste disposal and clearance of encroachments.
Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah and Asad Umar headed their respective delegations in the meeting. Asad Umar said in all the above mentioned areas either the projects were already designed or new projects were needed to be initiated.
He said it was decided in the meeting that all bottlenecks of the long standing projects such as KCR, K4, and S3 would be removed through mutual consultation.
He informed that there was no convener of the committee as both sides would work on the basis of mutual understandings. Federal Secretary, ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives and Provincial Secretary Planning and Development Sindh would lead their respective groups in the meeting.
“We have targeted that within two weeks, the projects’ list will be short listed and it would be decided which projects are to be led by the Sindh government and which projects are the responsibility of the federal government,” he said adding that the financial and legislative matters of the projects would also be finalized within the given time.
“But we will not wait for two weeks,” he said adding, the committee would start its work from tomorrow and next meeting would be held in Karachi on Saturday.
The minister said Karachi was the most revenue generation city of the country but the federal government wanted the city to reach its maximum potential. For this, the city’s residents must have to be provided with maximum facilities.
He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had his personal connection with the people of Karachi who elected him in the general elections.
Furthermore, he said since 19 out of 21 seats of Karachi city belonged to PTI and MQM which is coalition partner of the PTI, therefore it was also political responsibility of the federal government to work for development of Karachi.
Asad Umar also made it clear that PTI and Pakistan People’s Party had intense political differences but for the sake of Karachi residents they joined hands to work for the city.
“This is a developmental procedure and there should be no differences on development works.”
He also clarified that the PTI’ move was only for the betterment of people of Karachi and it must not be connected with the PTI government’s accountability strategy.
“I want to make it clear that there will be no compromise on accountability process in the country,” he said.
He said even the PTI government’s important leaders were passing through the accountability process, therefore no one should misinterpret it.
Moreover, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday met with Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar to discuss problems of Karachi.
During the meeting, it was agreed to form a coordination committee over the issues of Karachi.
The meeting also discussed ways to resolve issues faced by the city.
The coordination committee will play a helpful role between Centre and Sindh government over the development projects in Karachi.
The meeting was attended by federal ministers Ali Zaidi, Aminul Haque, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Muhammad Afzal, Sindh Local Government and Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah and Education Minister Saeed Ghani.
It is pertinent to mention here that a meeting of PPP, PTI, and MQM-P leaders took place in Karachi on Saturday wherein they discussed issues plaguing the port city.
Sources relayed Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Local Government and Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah, Education Minister Saeed Ghani, and Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar attended the meeting.
Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had denied the formation of any committee or deal between Centre and Sindh government to resolve the problems of Karachi.
Addressing an important press conference on Monday in Karachi, the Sindh chief minister said the provincial government will not share executive powers of Sindh Assembly with any other political party.
