Islamabad (Staff Report/Agencies): Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday announced Rs162 billion development package for Karachi.
"We are allocating a Rs162 billion package for Karachi under which would include 18 projects that will include plans for water preservation and transportation," the premier, who is on an official trip to Karachi, made the announcement while chairing a meeting of the Karachi Transformation Committee.
He said that out of the 18 proposed projects, 10 are related to the development of public transport network in the city. Seven projects are related to water and sewerage network in the city.
He laid special emphasis on the importance of water conservation in Karachi. He regretted that no plan to preserve water had been formulated by previous governments and urged the committee to start a campaign to conserve the natural resource.
The premier also said that while a master plan for Karachi was essential, an interim plan for the city should be put in place to address the pressing challenges that the metropolis is facing. He further said that further expansion of the city must be stopped and slum areas of Karachi should be developed.
PM Imran lamented, "When you look at Karachi it looks like a concrete slab. We will make green areas here."
"We will have to make decisions that Karachi does not expand beyond a specific area. Till a master plan is not complete, we will have to make interim decisions. We will have to stop many things in the city and if we don't then the city will expand exponentially," he added.
The PM also inaugurated the Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony, the premier praised Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar and announced that 10 billion trees will be planted across Pakistan.
