KMC offers Hawkes Bay Beach property for modern resort
There is a very lucrative opportunity to develop resorts and recreation spots on around 200 small islands dotting Karachi’s coastline, Mayor Murtaza Wahab told Indonesian Consul General June Kuncoro on Monday.
Consul General June Kuncoro accompanied by Indonesian Consul for Economic Affairs Ahmed Sufian called on the Mayor Wahab at the head office of Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Monday.
Wahab said there are 200 beautiful islands near Karachi waiting for Indonesian investors to bring in their cash and expertise and enjoy health returns from the investor-friendly policies of Pakistan.
The largest archipelago on Earth, Indonesia is remarkably made up of over 18,000 islands. Its beaches on Bali Island are a popular destination for tourists from across the world, including Pakistan.
Dreaming of bringing in facilities of the beaches of Indonesia to Karachi, Wahab told the Indonesian envoy that KMC owns a strip on the Hawke’s Bay Beach which can be developed as a modern beach resort.
“There are 200 beautiful islands near Karachi that can be developed and converted into recreational areas, especially in the coastal areas there is KMC land on the Hawke’s Bay Beach,” Wahab said adding, “Indonesian investors should build resorts and hotels here and the KMC would support them in this regard, by expanding business links between Karachi and Jakarta to benefit both countries.”
He said KMC was always ready to support Indonesian investors and entrepreneurs in Karachi with an open heart.
The Indonesian consul general said that the mayor’s offer for investment in Karachi will be conveyed to the Indonesian government.
June Kuncoro said that the Indonesian government valued Pakistan and Indonesia had given the most scholarships to Pakistani students.
He said that the citizens of Pakistan, especially Karachi, had always given us love and respect, which we appreciated.
Conversion issue
Mayor Wahab on Monday instructed officials to expedite the transition of streetlights to solar power and secure necessary approvals. He chaired a high-level meeting with engineering department officers in his office. Earlier, Wahab initiated the conversion of streetlights to solar power in Karachi during his administration, but the project was halted. He urged the engineering department to begin implementing solar streetlights starting from Shahrae-Faisal and gradually extending to other crucial roads and streets in the city.
Emphasising the importance of well-lit main corridors such as Shahrah-e-Faisal, Rashid Minhas Road, Shahrah-e-Pakistan, Mai Kolachi Road, MT Khan Road, and other major roads, the mayor stated that non-functional streetlights outside load shedding hours are unacceptable.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 29th, 2023.