Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi landed in Karachi for a day-long visit Saturday, the first time he has visited the city after being elected the prime minister.

Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah and Governor Mohammad Zubair welcomed the premier on his arrival in Karachi. Abbasi was accompanied on the visit by Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal.

Addressing a press conference in the evening at Karachi airport, flanked by Sindh Governor Mohammad Zubair, PM Abbasi said that the federal government will spend around Rs30 billion on Karachi and Hyderabad.

He, however, went on to add that the Sindh governor will supervise the spending and will seek advice from the provincial government.

The PML-N government is committed to maintaining the peace and stability in the metropolis, said Abbasi.

The premier was of the view that security situation has greatly improved in the past four years, and the confidence of the business community had been restored, thus resulting in increased investment.

Earlier in the day, the new prime minister commenced his trip by visiting the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, where he laid a floral wreath.

He then held a one-on-one meeting with Governor Mohammad Zubair at Governor House. During the meeting, issues concerning law and order and development came under discussion.

Prime Minister Abbasi assured the governor that the federal government would continue to cooperate with the Sindh government in development projects.

Abbasi also met a delegation of Muttahida Qaumi Movement led by Farooq Sattar. The MQM leaders during the meeting demanded that their workers in custody be released and their sealed offices opened. The prime minister thanked the MQM leaders for voting for him during the election.

Abbasi later chaired a meeting on Karachi's law and order situation at Governor House. During the meeting, security institutions briefed him about the targeted operation underway in the metropolis.

Abbasi was sworn in as premier earlier this month after being elected prime minister by lawmakers in the National Assembly, bagging 221 votes to beat other contenders.

He was nominated for the position after the Supreme Court in a landmark ruling on the Panama Papers case disqualified Nawaz Sharif as PM after deeming him unfit to hold office.

Hours before the NA session was called to elect the prime minister, MQM had announced it was withdrawing its candidate Kishwar Zehra in favour of Abbasi.

MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar had said then that he expected Abbasi to resolve Karachi's issues on a priority basis.