PM determined to restore Karachi's 'lights and colours': Shibli

Information minister's tweet comes after Imran Khan's visit to port city delayed by another day to Saturday

Prime Minister Imran Khan is determined for the development and prosperity of Karachi, said Information Minister Senator Shibli Faraz on Thursday.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan is committed to restore the ‘lights and colours’ of the metropolis. The prime minister is striving for equitable development of entire Pakistan,” he wrote on his official Twitter handle.

The senator said the premier will announce a special development package for the metropolis adding that the country’s prosperity is linked with the development of Karachi. “It is the economic heart of Pakistan.”

عمران خان شہر قائد کی روشنیاں اور رونقیں بحال کرنے کے پختہ عزم پر کاربند ہیں۔ وزیراعظم پورے پاکستان کو یکساں انداز میں ترقی دینے کیلئےکوشاں ہیں۔وزیراعظم کراچی میں عوام کیلئےخصوصی پیکیج کا اعلان کریں گے۔کراچی کی ترقی پاکستان کی خوشحالی کی ضمانت ہے۔کراچی پاکستان کا معاشی دل ہے۔

— Senator Shibli Faraz (@shiblifaraz) September 3, 2020

His tweet comes as PM Imran, who had announced to visit Karachi on Friday (September 4) to unveil ‘Karachi Transformation Plan’ delayed his visit to Saturday, his aide Shehbaz Gill informed in a tweet.

وزیراعظم پاکستان انشاللہ ہفتہ کہ دن کراچی کا دورہ کریں گے۔ وزیراعظم ہر روز کراچی پر میٹنگ لے رہے ہیں اور کراچی کے دورہ کے دوران کراچی کے مسائل کے مستقل حل کا اعلان کریں گے۔

— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) September 3, 2020

Following the recent record-breaking monsoon rains in Karachi which wreaked havoc in the city, PM Imran had directed the authorities concerned to finalise “Karachi Transformation Plan” in consultation with all stakeholders so that the process of a formal approval and implementation phase for a permanent solution to Karachi's problems could begin.

Expressing that he fully understands the issues that the people living in Karachi are facing for years now, the premier said the government “can't turn a blind eye to the plight of the people and the federation will play its full role for the solution and development of Karachi's problems”.

Later in the day, the premier directed the authorities to expedite work on revising master plans of big cities and submit progress reports on regular basis.

Chairing a meeting of the National Coordination Committee on Housing, Construction and Development, the prime minister said the government is committed for the promotion of construction sector as it was vital for economic stability. He directed the chief secretaries and heads of development authorities to upload information of approved residential projects at their websites and ensure getting the same updated on daily basis.

The step would not only keep posted the overseas Pakistanis interested in the residential projects, but would also end fraud in the name of such schemes, he added.

The premier directed to make information about the unapproved projects also available for the general public.

PM Imran asked chief secretaries to finalise completion of a digital portal for the construction sector by mid of the month. The meeting was attended by Shibli Faraz, special assistants Malik Amin Aslam, Lt Gen (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa, Syed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari and Dr Shehbaz Gul, Naya Pakistan Housing Auhtority Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Anwar Ali Haider, State Bank governor and Federal Board of Revenue chairman. The federal secretaries and representatives of ABAD joined the meeting through video-link.

On projects in Sindh, the meeting was informed that 19 development projects were given approval for construction at an area of 3.8 million-square-feet, which would cost Rs13.8 billion and generate an economic activity worth Rs30 billion.

Arif Habib, Aqeel Karim Dhedhi and other representatives of ABAD apprised the prime minister about various projects, including low-cost housing schemes by the private construction companies. They lauded Premier Imran and the measures taken by his government, saying the establishment of a high-level committee and weekly review meetings are a positive development.

The prime minister was given a briefing on CADASTRE (comprehensive land recording of real estate) in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, and other measures, including developing state land on modern lines and project of digitalization. The FBR chairman briefed the meeting about registered projects and the taxpayers’ IRIS portal to facilitate the persons concerned.

The provincial secretaries including the Gilgit-Baltistan chief secretary updated about the ongoing construction projects and transforming the manual system into online service to minimize human involvement.

(With input from APP)