Will request China to incorporate KCR into CPEC: PM Shehbaz

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that he would request China to incorporate Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) into the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Aaj News reported.

PM Shehbaz said this while addressing media after a consultative meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.

The prime minister said that the Chinese government had initially hinted at including the KCR in the CPEC; however, he would take up the matter again.

During the meeting, PM Shehbaz was briefed about development projects, including KCR, drinking water supply, and public transport system.

Sindh has lagged behind in various human development, and economic indicators after years of under-investment, particularly in public transport and infrastructure.

The premier assured the provincial government of all-out support for the uplift of the port city.

He said that besides Orange, Green, and Red line services, an air-conditioned bus service was also equally essential for the city for which private companies could be engaged with the financial support of the federal and provincial governments.

The meeting was part of the prime minister’s day-long visit to Karachi – his first since he was sworn in as the prime minister of Pakistan on April 11.

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He was accompanied by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasis and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan's (MQM-P) Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui as well as other leaders from the allied parties.

After his arrival, the PM along with the other leaders paid their respect at the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam.

In an earlier address to the National Assembly, Shehbaz had revealed his government’s plans which included increasing the minimum wage and pensions, and “urging” the business community to give a 10 percent increase to employees with salaries of up to Rs100,000.

He said Pakistanis have been suffering due to high inflation and unemployment and that during the last government's tenure six million people became unemployed and 20 million were pushed below the poverty line.