KARACHI, Sept 6: Nazim Karachi Syed Mustafa Kamal has said that the city government would soon introduce new comfortable public transport vehicles in Karachi under public-private partnership projects, and disclosed that 250 new CNG buses would be operated shortly.

In order to revamp the transport system in the city, he said all possible help is being extended to transporters, including payment of mark-up by the government on loans acquired by private transporters.

The federal government, he said, has decided to pay the mark-up for the loans acquired from banks for transport and funds for this have been allocated, he said while talking to a delegation of businessmen at his office here on Wednesday. The DG Mass Transit Malik Zahirul Islam and EDO Transport Mohammed Athar were also present on the occasion.

Aqeel Karim on behalf of SWEET Bus assured of his cooperation to the Nazim and said after talking to the EDO Transport within a week and allocation of routes, he would give the gift of quality CNG buses to Karachiites whose number would be increased gradually.

He said that the businessmen would fully cooperate with the city government in bringing a change in the city's transport culture.

Meanwhile, chairman, Transport Committee, CDGK, Nadeem Hidayat Hashmi on Wednesday asked the EDO Transport to take stern action against public transport vehicles plying in Karachi without route permits.

Speaking at a meeting to review public traffic problems of Karachi, he instructed that drivers and conductors of public transport should be made to wear uniforms, and UTS buses be made to ply their routes.

He said new bus termini should be built on priority basis, so that illegal bus terminals in busy residential and commercial areas could be eliminated.

He said suggestions from experts and concerned citizens should be sought to improve the public transport system of Karachi.

The EDO Transport told the meeting that 16 sites had been selected for bus terminals. He said that presently construction work had been started at two bus terminals, while the inter-city bus terminal at Yousuf Goth would soon be inaugurated.

BRITISH DIPLOMAT: Nazim Karachi Syed Mustafa Kamal has said owing to steps taken by the city district government, potential foreign investors are considering bringing investment in Karachi.