Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Monday announced that the second phase of the Green Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in Karachi will be completed within a year, according to a press release.
During a briefing visit to the Green Line site, the minister emphasised that development must proceed without harming the city’s historic structures or cultural heritage. He called for strong coordination among the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB), Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company Limited (PIDCL), and other relevant departments to ensure smooth execution of the project.
Ahsan Iqbal said the first phase of the Green Line project, worth Rs29 billion, was a gift from former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, while the second phase, valued at Rs5.5 billion and spanning 1.8 kilometres, was announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The second phase had faced delays due to legal issues that have now been resolved, he added.
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The minister said that three new stations are being developed under the project, with a focus on preserving Karachi’s heritage. “Karachi is the only city gifted by the federal government with such landmark projects,” he remarked.
He informed that the Sindh Chief Minister has assured full cooperation and will engage with the Karachi mayor to address KMC’s concerns, including those related to NOCs, service road diversions, and water line relocations.
Referring to other major initiatives, the minister said the K-IV water project, initially a joint venture between the federal and Sindh governments, is now being fully funded by the federal government. He added that efforts are underway to synchronise key infrastructure projects such as K-IV, N-25, and the Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway to enhance urban connectivity.
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Ahsan Iqbal revealed that feasibility studies are being conducted with Chinese partners to remodel the Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway, while plans are in place to improve the surrounding infrastructure to enable 24-hour operations at Karachi Port Trust (KPT).
He also said construction of the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway would soon resume with support from international banks, blaming the delay on what he called the “incompetent leadership of 2018.” The N-25 Highway project, he added, is also under federal consideration to improve linkages between Sindh and Balochistan.
Responding to a question about the political situation in Azad Kashmir, the minister said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had expressed reservations about the coalition government but had now decided to move to the opposition benches after the no-confidence vote.
“This is democracy, consultation and cooperation are the foundation of our coalition government,” he said, reiterating that the federal government remains committed to inclusive governance and efficient implementation of development projects through PIDCL.
He was accompanied by Sindh Minister for Planning and Development Jam Khan Shoro, MNA Syed Amin ul Haque, and project officials.
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