Governor announces several development packages on eve of budget

City’s firefighting system to be upgraded, hospital to be set up at Karachi University


Our Correspondent May 10, 2018
Governor Mohammad Zubair. PHOTO: REUTERS

KARACHI: Governor Mohammad Zubair announced on Wednesday a Rs25 billion package for Karachi, which included several road development projects, improvement of the city’s firefighting services and establishment of a medical college and hospital.

Rs1.9 billion will be allocated for the city’s firefighting system to purchase more advanced equipment, machines and vehicles. The projects will be inaugurated next week in a ceremony that will be attended by the city’s mayor. Zubair announced the projects at Governor House. He also announced that he had already distributed the funds among the relevant departments after obtaining approval from the authorities concerned.

Besides this, he also announced Rs8.5 billion for the establishment of a hospital and medical college in Karachi University. He disclosed that this project has already been approved by all relevant authorities and approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council is the only thing remaining.

These projects will greatly benefit the people of Karachi. The federal government is active in playing its role in the progress and prosperity of the country’s financial hub, said the governor. He also said that since the Election Commission of Pakistan has banned new development projects on the eve of the elections, we are not announcing several other projects relating to water and sanitation and road development. However, work on these projects will be started after the new government comes in after the elections, he said.

Work on budget well under way

Commenting on the recent clash between political parties in the city, he said it was because of lack of tolerance. Zubair went on to add that such incidents create a negative perception in the minds of people about political parties and he appealed to all political parties to refrain from all forms of violence and intolerance as this is a sensitive time.

The governor said the Rs25 billion package includes Rs2.35 billion road projects such as three flyovers at Sakhi Hassan, Five Star Chowrangi and the Matric Board Office in North Nazimabad. Also included is the completion of the Manghopir road in two phases at a cost of Rs3.5 billion. Nishtar Road will be completed at an estimated cost of Rs860 million.

He said after the 18th Amendment, the responsibility of provincial development lies with the provincial governments but the present federal government, following its vision of the country’s simultaneous development, is ensuring the development of the provinces, especially the economic hub Karachi. In this regard, work on the Lyari Expressway and other mega projects is under way. He said that after restoration of peace in the city, special attention is being paid to the development of Karachi so that the city’s residents can enjoy facilities.

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Zubair said that in Thar, $5 billion has been invested in three energy projects and 1,320 megawatt projects in Port Qasim have also been completed. In addition to this, two functional LNG terminals have been installed. Due to the government’s economic policy, the GDP has improved by 5.8%, he said, adding that continuation of these policies by the upcoming government can raise this to 7%.

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He said that Sindh and its people are way behind other provinces in terms of development but the incumbent federal government is determined to develop of the province. The federal development projects in this regard are very important, he said, adding that people will benefit greatly from these projects.

He went on to say that after the 18th Amendment, education, health and development are no longer the responsibility of the federal government, yet the Centre is paying attention to the development of Sindh.

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