KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah inaugurated development projects worth Rs5.9 billion at a ceremony presided over by the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party chairman, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, on Shaheed-i-Millat Road, on Saturday.

Later, speaking to leading businessmen the chief minister criticised the PTI-led federal government for doing little for Sindh.

He said projects such as Green Line and Manghopir Road reconstruction were launched by the PML-N’s last federal government, but despite being a great champion of the rights of Karachi neither Prime Minister Imran Khan had initiated a single project in the metropolis, nor had he completed the projects Nawaz Sharif’s government had initiated.

The chief minister said that he had got conducted a Karachi Diagnostic study by the World Bank which revealed that Rs1 trillion was required to develop the teeming megacity.

“The mayor of Karachi today visited me and demanded Rs2bn for the development which I gave him but simultaneously, [I] told him that the amount was peanuts for this megalopolis,” he said.

Mr Shah said he had launched 36 schemes under the Karachi mega projects initiative and most of them had been completed. He said Sharea Faisal had been reconstructed, widened with construction of storm-water drains, which happened after ex-PM Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had constructed it in the 1970s.

About the development projects, he said it was a proud moment for him to celebrate successful completion of signature projects initiated by the Sindh government for the citizen of Karachi.

He said there was an “exhaustive” list of the projects which were recently completed. He quoted widening and improvement of Sharea Faisal, University Road from Hasan Square to Safoora Goth, Hub River Road, Madinatul Hikmah Road, the road from the Fountain Roundabout to Karachi Zoo, beautification of the Cantonment Railway station and improvement of the surrounding areas, Drigh Road underpass and Manzil Pump flyover.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2019