PM Imran Khan announces 1.1 trillion package for Karachi

KARACHI: Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced a ‘historic’ relief package worth Rs1.1 trillion for development projects in Karachi, saying that the package will address the chronic municipal and infrastructure issues of the country’s financial hub.

The prime minister expressed his views while addressing a press briefing at the Governor House where he announced the ‘Karachi Transformation Plan’.

Governor Sindh Imran Ismail and Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah were also present on the occasion. “The federal and Sindh governments had decided to deal with Karachi’s problems together following negotiations,” PM Imran added.

Giving details on the development package, the premier said that it will be a three-year plan with the first phase of the plan to take a year while the rest will be implemented in two years.

He also pointed out that floods caused by heavy rains have hit not only Karachi but Balochistan, interior Sindh, Swat, and his own constituency of Mianwali. “I would have arrived in Karachi earlier but we had to make a structure,” he added.

In this regard, he said that it was decided in view of unprecedented rains that all of Karachi’s issues would be tackled at once, and negotiations were subsequently held.

The premier revealed that the transformation plan would be implemented through the Provincial Coordination Implementation Committee (PCIC) under the chief minister.

 “All stakeholders will be involved in its implementation. The army will play a big role,” he added. The premier also highlighted that the military always helped the civilian administration whenever there are floods or a calamity.

Referring to the transport system in Karachi, he stressed on reforming it and said that the Green Line and various BRT lines were included in the plan. “The government will decide about the transport and roads’ issue today,” he added.

He also pointed out Karachi’s solid waste management issue and said that it will also be resolved. He also praised the government for handling the COVID-19 pandemic well, saying that very few countries in the world had handled the problems associated with the virus-like Pakistan had done.

Earlier today (Saturday), Prime Minister Imran arrived in Karachi for a day-long visit to announce the financial package for the implementation of a transformation plan meant to address the city’s issues. The premier is accompanied by Information Minister Shibli Faraz and MNA Amir Mahmood Kayani.