PTI, PPP and PML-N bicker over Karachi's bus project

KARACHI:

Soon after the inauguration of the long-delayed Green Line Rapid Bus Transit project — Karachi's first mass transit system, all three major political forces – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) – started claiming credit for the project on Friday.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, earlier in the day, launched the project which was originally conceived during the rule of PML-N in 2015.

"Imran Khan today inaugurated [former prime minister] Nawaz Sharif's project... they think they can deceive masses, but everyone knows the truth," PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said while addressing a news conference in Islamabad, soon after the conclusion of the inauguration ceremony in Karachi.

She said that Sharif gave such projects to Lahore, Multan and Karachi. "Imran Khan is only putting his name plate on projects started by Nawaz Sharif... he should be thankful to him."

Marriyum condemned the use of force against the PML-N leaders and workers a day earlier during the party's "symbolic" inauguration of the project, saying that PM Imran used Rangers to stop the ceremony from taking place.

Ahsan Iqbal, accompanied by other PML-N leaders including Muhammad Zubair, Miftah Ismail, Sorath Thebo, Ali Akbar Gujjar, Perveen Bashir and Nehal Hashmi as well as activists, had reached the site of the project for a symbolic inauguration on Thursday.

A video of the incident shows Rangers stopping them from moving forward and the party activists chanting slogans against the ruling PTI.

Later, Ahsan, the party’s general secretary, told the media that the PML-N activists had been subjected to "state-sponsored violence" and that he had also been hit on his arms with sticks.

Meanwhile, talking to the media, Karachi Administrator and PPP spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said that Prime Minister Imran was inaugurating projects which in the past he used to call "jangla bus service".

"This government only believes in announcements... Imran Khan should rename himself Ailan (announcement) Khan," he added.

Murtaza said the incumbent government had failed to understand that the “common man desires to feed his children first but due to the historic rise in inflation, he has been unable to do that”.

"Yes, the price of petrol rose in the entire world but now they're dropping but the benefit has not yet been passed on to the masses by the government," he added.

The administrator announced that 50 new buses would hit the roads of Karachi by January 31 and 200 more would arrive within two more months.

Read PM Imran inaugurates Karachi's Green Line bus project

Earlier in the day, during his address after inaugurating the project, PM Imran said that he was closely invested in the K-IV project to resolve Karachi's water woes, adding that the work on the project will start from January 2022 and be completed in 13-14 months – by Sept 2023.

According to Imran, he would soon "give good news to the people of Karachi" as this was their "biggest demand".

The prime minister urged the PPP government in Sindh to become a part of the federal government's health scheme for the sake of the poor.

Commenting on the proposed development plan of Bundal island, Imran maintained that the initiative would help create more jobs in Sindh.

Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said that the PPP ruled the province six times but could not give a single mile road of motorway to the people of Sindh.

Lashing out at the PML-N, Umar said that despite ruling the country three times, the PML-N did not give Karachi its due right.

He further said that the K-IV project will be approved within a month which would provide the port city with 260 million gallons of water each day.