This is apropos a Business Recorder news item “Pasha explains how he looks at Rs1.1trn Karachi package” carried by the newspaper yesterday. According it, former federal minister for finance and economic affairs Dr Hafeez Pasha has expressed his doubts over the feasibility of Rs1.1 trillion Karachi Transformation Package. The noted economist has pointed out that the federal government will contribute 60 percent while the Sindh government’s share will be 40 percent in Karachi’s s1100 billion package. He has made it clear that both the governments will be required to divert their development budgets on a massive scale over the next three years which was unfeasible.

In my view, Dr Pasha has cleverly let the cat out of the bag. In other words, he has revealed facts previously hidden. The Karachi package, therefore, appears to be an unattainable hope or scheme.

SHAHID KHAN (KARACHI)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020