'Progress made on all four federal govt's projects in Karachi including KCR'

KARACHI: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar has said that the progress has been made on all four projects of the federal government including Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) under Karachi package, ARY News reported on Saturday.

Asad Umar, while addressing a press conference along with Sindh Governor Imran Ismail today, said that the progress details of Karachi package will be presented before Prime Minister Imran Khan soon.

“We want to find out a permanent solution for maintaining the cleanliness of the main nullahs [of Karachi]. It is important to remove encroachments from nullah besides providing an alternative plan. The work for removing encroachments from nullah is continued in Karachi’s Mehmoodabad.”

Asad Umar said that the Sindh government is taking part in the anti-encroachment operation. He said that the provincial government had announced the allocation of Rs700 billion funds for the metropolis. He questioned the government for not spending the funds for the development of Karachi.

While highlighting the federal government’s efforts for Sindh citizens, he said that the deserving families have been provided assistance through a relief package worth Rs200 billion. He added that the relief package was aimed to provide financial relief to the people of Karachi and Sindh.

To a question regarding the islands, the federal minister said that talks are underway with the provincial government to resolve the issue.

To another question, Umar replied that the federal government allocated funds worth millions for the retrieval of illegally grabbed land in Sindh and to provide relief to the affectees despite it was the responsibility of the provincial government. It is now the responsibility of the Sindh government to retrieve the land while the Centre is ready to spend money, he added.

Regarding the KCR project, Asad Umar said that the restoration work of the project has commenced.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail said that the revenue from islands will be given to the Sindh government and $50 billion investment is expected for the islands. He said that the government completed a project and laid the foundation stone of another project which would be completed with the cost of Rs2.25 billion.

He announced that the Green Line Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) project will be inaugurated between July and September next year. He said that the development work on different projects of the federal government is continued and a consultant was hired for the K-IV project. He added that other lines would be made operational in Karachi after the commencement of Green Line.

Imran Ismail said that PM Imran Khan thinks about the Karachi and meetings were held every week to discuss the projects. He said that the Centre will address the reservations of the Sindh government regarding its islands.

Commenting over the Kashmore incident, Ismail said that it was a horrible crime and praised the performance of police department where an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and his daughter risked their lives to recover the abducted minor girl.

He said that PM Imran Khan appreciated the ASI’s bravery and it will definitely increase the moral of the Sindh police. The governor said that the criminals involved in minor rapes will not be given punishment less than death sentence soon.