Work on KCR to begin on December 25, vows CM

Projects included in CPEC will bring economic prosperity, he says

KARACHI: The Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) and Keti Bandar Port are the two most important projects in the city, as the former will help resolve transport problems in the city while the latter will play a vital role in boosting the country’s economy.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said this to Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong, who called on him at CM House on Friday. The meeting was also attended by the counsel-general of China in Karachi and Principal Secretary to the CM Sohail Rajput.

Shah said the KCR, Keti Bandar and Dhabeji Special Economic Zone projects have been approved within the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and that the KCR has reached the implementation stage. "I am thankful for your support and cooperation," he told the ambassador.

The chief minister claimed that the KCR route has been cleared of encroachments and Pakistan Railways is on board to acquire 360 acres land for the KCR’s right of way.



The Keti Bandar project is being processed and its feasibility report is being prepared, while land has already been allocated for the China-Pakistan Special Economic Zone at Dhabeji. "Once the feasibility and other approvals of the Keti Bandar and Dhabeji Special Economic Zone projects are completed they will be presented during the next joint working group meeting," he told Weidong.

The ambassador said at present 20,000 Pakistanis - both students and others - are living in China. "This kind of mutual understanding for development and prosperity will strengthen with the completion of the CPEC project," Shah said, adding that he had personally witnessed Thari workers engaged in coal mining projects engage and communicate with Chinese workers easily. "This shows that Tharis are also learning Chinese," he praised.

The KCR’s feasibility report was already provided to the Chinese transport ministry by the Sindh government. The tender documents are ready and, by the second week of December, the contract will be awarded. The foundation stone of the KCR will be laid at Wazir Mansion on December 25 - the birthday of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.



Shah said that the projects would usher in new vistas of development and prosperity in the province.

Education meeting

Shah also presided over a meeting of the education department and expressed his satisfaction at the resumption of classes at Aisha Bawany College. "It was with the commitment of the Sindh government and support of students, parents, teachers and civil society that education activities resumed at Aisha Bawany College, otherwise it would have been turned into marriage hall," he said.

The chief minister directed the secretaries of the college and school departments to pay special focus on improving the standard of education in the province. "This will happen when teachers teach classes properly, check copies, give homework to students and personally involve themselves in the system," he explained, adding that without this nothing would improve.

Shah also issued directives to all government departments, particularly the education, health and local government departments, to properly follow up with their cases pending in the courts. "I will take disciplinary action if any department loses a legal battle in court," he warned.