April 24, 2002	Wednesday	Safar 10, 1423

KARACHI, April 23: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement criticized on Tuesday the construction of Lyari Expressway and expressed opposition to its design and the rehabilitation plan for those to be displaced from along the Lyari riverbed.

It demanded that the construction of the expressway be made in accordance with the old policy and blueprint of the project and the people of Karachi be informed of it.

Besides, the Karachi Circular Railway be revived, the Northern Bypass also be built. The Muttahida had tried to launch theses projects, especially the latter, when it was in government, but it fell prey to red- tapism due to cold feet developed by the federal government, he said.

At a news conference at Karachi Press Club, Dr Farooq Sattar, Deputy Convener of the MQM Coordination Committee, urged President Pervez Musharraf to heed the demands of the people of Karachi. He further demanded that the demarcation of boundaries for the construction of the expressway not be beyond the width of 400 feet, the project be implemented according to old plans, people be least affected by the building of interchanges, the project’s construction be given to the city government instead of the NHA, those affected having leased plots be given compensation according to the market value and those to be displaced by the removal of residential and commercial units be given alternative plots in the city.

Former members of the Sindh Assembly, Zahid Qureshi, Liaquat Qureshi, Hasan Musanna Alvi, Nawab Mirza, Advocate, and Farooq Ahmed were also present at the news conference.

Dr Sattar said, according to an estimate, due to construction of the Lyari Expressway about 25,000 residential units and 3,600 commercial units would be affected and at least 250,000 people would be displaced.

He recalled that it was decided in the old plan that the 200 feet width of the Lyari river would be increased to 400 feet, but the present plan envisaged the demarcation of 600 feet to 800 feet width so that commercial and other units could be built along the Lyari Expressway. He referred to the Motorway in Punjab and said on an average 100-150-foot demarcation had been made there. Those affected by the Motorway, Tarbella Dam and Mangla Dam were given compensation according to the market value, and they were also given alternative plots.

He said there were reports about construction of petrol filling stations, warehouses, hotels and a chain of major residential projects along both sides of the expressway to earn a profit of more than Rs15 billion after paying the actual cost Rs9 billion and interest of Rs6 billion.

He said the people, who were being displaced, lived in leased plots in Pir Ilahi Bakhsh Colony, Liaquatabad, Usmanabad, etc and they were paying all taxes for the past 52 years.

“We understand the importance of the Lyari Expressway for the development of the city, but its controversial aspects should be taken into consideration and the un