Federal government to bear 62% funds of Karachi Transformation Plan: Asad Umar

Karachi: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Sunday said that the federal government will bear 62% of the total amount of Rs. 1,100 billion announced by Prime Minister Imran Khan for Karachi Transformation Plan (KTP) while the remaining 38% to be spent by the provincial government.

Addressing a joint news conference with Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi and Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Amin-Ul-Haque at the Sindh Governor House, the federal minister said that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in a meeting had agreed upon not to reveal the share of both the governments.

However, he said that unfortunately, a video clip of PPP Chairperson was making rounds over social media in which PPP Chairperson was claiming the major share of the Sindh Government in the KTP.

Asad Umar said the stakeholders also should keep all the political differences aside and work jointly for the success of the historic transformation plan of the city. The progress of Pakistan is linked with progress and development of Karachi, which is an economic hub of the country, he said.

The federal minister highlighted that major hurdle in the development of the city is non availability of total authority.

Asad Umar expressed the hope that Sindh Chief Minister would be allowed by his party leadership to work jointly with the federal government for the betterment of Karachi.

To a question, the Federal Minister replied that under the transformation plan, in first phase, rain drains would be completely cleaned, whereas the provincial government had taken responsibility to rehabilitate the displaced people from the illegal encroachments.

About the completion of public transport projects, Asad Umar said that the Green Line Bus Rapid Transport System would complete in 2021 and the Karachi Circular Railway would complete in 2023.

Addressing the news conference, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi said that the historic transformation plan announced by the Prime Minister for Karachi is a good news for Karachiites and both the federal and provincial governments have agreed to prosecute the plan jointly.

Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Syed Amin-Ul-Haque on the occasion hailed the government for the announcement of plan. He said this plan is not a favor to Karachi, it is the right of this city. The more government will spend on Karachi, the more it will earn as revenue from the city.