CM Murad urges federal govt to finance K-IV, KCR projects

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday said that the cost of Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply, K-IV project, has increased manifold and hoped the federal government would generously finance it and also hoped that a similar financial support would also be made by the center to Karachi Circular Railway (KCR).

This he said on Wednesday while talking to media just after performing inaugural ceremony of Al-Nadi Al-Burhani Sports Complex established by Dawoodi Bohra Community at Talpur Road. He was flanked by his Advisor on Information Barrister Murtaza Wahab.

Murad Shah said that the K-IV project was ill-conceived, therefore its cost had increased manifold when work on it had been started.

Read More: CM Murad says will give Karachiites good news on KCR in March

“The federal government was committed to share 50 percent cost of the project when it was approved at Rs25 billion and now it has reached to Rs75 billion,” he said and added he was positive the federal government would share the financial burden and “I am sure the federal government also generously support in establishment of KCR project,” he said.

Karachi is hub of trade and industry and generates huge revenues, therefore in return it must be repaid in the shape of its development, he said.

Shah said that when Prime Minister Imran Khan had visited Karachi he had briefed him about K-IV project and its growing cost. The prime minister had shown his support and cooperation for the completion of the project.

To a question about KCR, the chief minister said that it was included in the CPEC projects and now a Joint Working Group (JWG) has been formed, “let’s see what it decides for the KCR. I am working on it and the project would see light of the day very soon,” he said and urged the federal government to extend financial support for the KCR as it has made to Orange Line project of Lahore.

A journalist told the chief minister that the NAB had issued a list in which his name was on the top. At this the chief minister said that he was always on the top if you look at him positively.

“This was not a reference but an inquiry and I don’t think that the NAB has issued this list because it has no signature or stamp,” he said. He added that it was an [NAB] inquiry against recruitments in STEVTA in 2012 and the STEVTA board had ratified the recruitments. Later, keeping in view legal issues the ratification was recalled by the board, therefore his name should have not been there in the NAB list.

To another question, the chief minister said that the governor was a federal government representative and [he] had every right to perform stone lying or inauguration ceremony of the project being launched or completed by the federal government. “I have respect for the governor and he has a very constructive role in the province,” Mr Shah said.

He said that he was going to Islamabad to attend Fiscal Coordination committee meeting in which World Bank sponsored projects to be discussed and the input of provincial governments would laos be sought for future world Bank projects.