Karachi’s overhaul requires $10b: CM

Bilawal vows to resolve city's issues; Murad says government structure also built on nullahs

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Friday that $10 billion was required to restore Karachi's infrastructure, including the sewerage system, stormwater drains, parks and other facilities.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of Peoples Square and an underground car parking compound in Saddar, established as a part of the World Bank (WB)-assisted Karachi Neighborhood Improvement Project (KNIP), the CM stated that neither the Sindh government nor the Centre was able to issue the sum and that was why organisations such as the WB and Asian Development Bank had to be approached.

Further pointing out the wide-scale presence of encroachments in the metropolis - a long-standing problem - the CM said, "The local government department's office, as well as Supreme Court's parking lot, has been built on nullahs."

Implying that the problem was complex and would take time to resolve, he said, "This situation did not emerge overnight, but aggravated over years."

Tax collection

Earlier, inaugurating Peoples Square and the underground parking compound, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari complained that despite the Sindh Revenue Board achieving its tax collection target, Sindh faced a shortfall of funds in the backdrop of the Federal Board of Revenue failing to achieve its target.

On Karachi

Further lambasting the Centre and the previous government, he said, "Once, killing innocent people in Karachi was the order of the day. International mafia was involved [in the killings] and local thugs supported them."

Then, alluding to former president Pervez Musharraf without naming him, he said that the "dictator, instead of taking action against [criminal elements], decided to negotiate with the terrorists."

Peace wasn't restored in the city until the PPP came into power, he added, vowing that they would resolve all of Karachi's problems.

At the same time, the PPP chief also censured Prime Minister Imran Khan over his "failure to live up to his promises" regarding Karachi.

Speaking with relevance to Peoples Square, he said that the PPP was committed to constructing such a project in every district of Sindh.

New projects

In the same vein, the CM said that Saddar was the first neighbourhood improved under the KNIP initiative, adding, "We are improving 22 other areas to make Karachi a beautiful city."

He elaborated that the provincial government had launched KNIP at a cost of Rs10.26 billion, with the intention of transforming Karachi into a more "liveable and inclusive megacity."

The CM said the project was focused on enhancing public spaces and improving mobility, extending support for administrative services, capacity development and provision of technical assistance for these purposes.

Discussing Saddar in particular, the CM stated that under KNIP, the area would witness an upgrade of road infrastructure, sidewalks, pedestrian crossings and open spaces, installation of shades, street signs and street lights, and reorganisation of traffic patterns.

Besides, he added, a pedestrian trail would be constructed in the area to reduce traffic congestion and a piazza was also to be built for those visiting the Arts Council and college students.

"The piazza will have space for food stalls… and will add to the city's beauty," the CM remarked.

He further said that the redevelopment of the educational and cultural zone in the area, under KNIP, would help enhance public places and improve mobility on Dr Ziauddin Road, Deen Muhammad Wafai Road and MR Kiyani Road.

Under KNIP, he also announced the construction of a two-story underground parking space, with the capacity of 350 cars and 250 motorcycles.

Besides, the CM said, projects would also be launched in Malir and Korangi under KNIP.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15^th, 2020.