KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Local Government, Housing and Town Planning, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, along with Minister for Labour Saeed Ghani, inaugurated several development projects in District Central, including the Sports and Culture Centre, Karimabad Underpass, and the rehabilitation of Amir Khusro Road and adjoining streets.
Speaking on the occasion, Nasir Shah emphasised that all stakeholders must play their part for the development of the province including Karachi. Following the vision of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and the directives of Chief Minister Sindh, he expressed willingness to collaborate with all political parties— including Jamaat-e-Islami, PTI, MQM, and all elected local representatives— provided the aim is the megacity’s progress and public relief.
He stressed that the Sindh government is committed to resolving public issues and welcomed identification and resolution of problems.
Shah pointed out that Karachi is the economic hub of Pakistan, contributing about 70 percent of the national revenue, but receives very little in return. “Look at the federal budget share for Sindh. Is a single BRT project enough? Other provinces receive more development funds compared to Sindh,” he remarked.
He highlighted that provincial roads in other provinces are constructed by the National Highway Authority, but not in Sindh. The Sukkur-Karachi motorway is yet to be built.
Regarding the Red Line BRT, Nasir Shah said the issue remains, but Transport Minister Sharjeel Memon has taken strict notice of the poor condition of adjacent roads and directed immediate repairs.
During visit to Karimabad, he acknowledged delays caused by utility-related issues and assured regular monitoring of the underpass construction with relevant officials.
To a question on national security, Nasir Shah stated that the nation stands united with its armed forces, which have made significant sacrifices against terrorism. Pakistan responded forcefully to terrorism originating from Afghanistan and now calls for ceasefire talks are under way. He emphasised the necessity to eliminate terrorists and their hideouts.
He warned that no leniency will be shown regarding illegal constructions and water theft. He thanked the Corps Commander Karachi and related departments for removing obstacles in completing the second phase of Shahrah-e-Bhutto, promising relief for those involved in the project.
However, Minister for Labour Saeed Ghani said the Chief Minister’s team is actively working for the megacity’s development and stressed that cooperation among all elected representatives is key to beautifying Karachi.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.