Karachi’s issues remain unresolved even if federal, provincial governments spend all resources: Saeed Ghani
He, however, said the Sindh government of Pakistan Peoples Party in the last couple of years had invested much to improve the civic infrastructure of the city.
Karachi’s issues remain unresolved even if federal, provincial governments spend all resources: Saeed Ghani
Karachi : Local Government Minister, Saeed Ghani, has said the civic issues of Karachiites couldn’t be completely resolved even if all the financial resources available with the federal and provincial governments are spent for this cause given the massive size of Karachi which is one of the largest cities in the world.
The Local Government Minister stated this on Saturday while talking to media persons here outside the office of Provincial Election Commissioner Sindh. Ghani said that the civic problems of Karachi had never been resolved up to 100 per cent in the past given that it was one of the largest cities in the world. “Nor I am in a position now to give any timeline for resolving all problems in Karachi,” he said.
He, however, said the Sindh government of Pakistan Peoples Party in the last couple of years had invested much to improve the civic infrastructure of the city. “We have built many streets, and roads, and completed many other works but this doesn’t mean that we are satisfied today as a lot more could be invested on Karachi’s infrastructure,” he said.
The Local Government Minister said the Sindh government had been ensuring the best possible utilisation of the resources available to it for resolving the problems in Karachi. “If one tries to search for a solution to problems in Karachi then these issues would perhaps remain unresolved if one spent all the resources available with the federal and provincial governments,” he said.
He said the Sindh government had adopted the mode of public-private partnership to launch many development projects in the city. Ghani informed media persons that the Sindh government in partnership with the concerned international organisations and foreign donor agencies that provided assistance for improving civic infrastructure had launched several projects in Karachi including Yellow Line and Red Line sections of BRTS, improvement of water and sewerage systems, CLICK, and SWEEP.
He mentioned that the Sindh Transport Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon had given assurance at the introductory meeting of the new Sindh cabinet that work would soon be restarted to build the corridor of the Red Line section of the BRTS. He said that there were certain unresolved issues related to contractors engaged for the construction of the Red Line corridor and the same would be resolved soon.
To a question, he said that no talks had taken place so far between the PPP and Muttahida Quami Movement Pakistan on the upcoming Senate elections in Sindh. But the chance of such negotiations before the Senate polls couldn’t be ruled out as talks are a part of the normal political process. To another question, Ghani said that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) was under an obligation to fulfil its commitment with the MQM Pakistan to improve the system of municipal governance in the country.
Answering another question, the Local Government Minister said that MQM Pakistan should be asked the question regarding the submission of the nomination papers by estranged PTI leader Faisal Vawda to contest the Senate elections. He said that Vawda once held a meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari but it didn’t mean that he had joined the PPP.