KARACHI: Acknowledging Karachi’s unplanned growth, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday said the provincial government was spearheading a comprehensive, World Bank-backed master plan focusing on transport, water supply, drainage, waste management, and other critical sectors.

Speaking to the media after visiting Mazar-i-Quaid on the 77th death anniversary of the country’s founder, he said that studies for the master plan had been completed. These cover vital components such as transport, electricity, water supply, drainage, waste management and overall development.

Stressing the need for humane solutions to the city’s unregulated expansion, the chief minister said that no resident of informal settlements along the Lyari River would be displaced without adequate support and resources.

Mr Shah said that infrastructure upgrades under the master plan included construction on Bhutto Road, a 39 km highway linking Qayyumabad to the M9 Motorway,” he said, adding that the new road and a two-kilometre link road were under construction, with 15km currently in safe active use.

“The Shahrah-i-Bhutto project is valued at Rs52 billion under a public-private partnership, managed by developers, engineers, financial institutions, and project managers,” he said.

Discussing recent flooding in parts of Karachi, the chief minister said that water pressure issues had been addressed by raising retaining walls, with ongoing monitoring under his supervision.

He added that flood warnings for the border areas between Sindh and Balochistan had not been forecasted. “Water flowed through feed channels onto the Motorway / Superhighway and Saadi Town,” he said, adding that infrastructure challenges along the motorway were being addressed through ongoing interventions, with water crossing permissions still pending.

The CM also said that while Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan had suffered damage by floods, the Sindh government was taking all possible steps to minimise losses. “Safety of people’s lives and protection of barrages and embankments remain top priorities,” he reiterated.

Mr Shah described the Sukkur Barrage as facing an unprecedented situation where 10 gates had to be closed after three years. “Instead of simply closing the gates, concrete was used to seal them, showcasing engineering innovation,” he said.

Originally designed to withstand 1.5 million cusecs flows, the barrage’s capacity was reduced to 960,000 cusecs after the closure of these gates. “To date, the flow through the barrage has reached 1.1 million cusecs,” he said.

He added that ongoing maintenance efforts focused on gate replacement, critical to the barrage’s longevity. “For the first time since its construction, the barrage floor was opened and repaired to extend its durability,” he noted.

He explained that following the floods of 2011, 2012 and 2022, efforts had been made to clear blockages and enhance infrastructure on both banks of major water bodies, including Manchhar Lake.

Acknowledging the global challenges of flood management, Mr Shah stressed the need for unity, a positive outlook, and consistent political will. “Water projects require both technical expertise and sustainable political commitment,” he said.

CM Shah stressed that Pakistan could progress towards development and stability by adhering to the principles of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

He lauded the recent show of national unity in the face of Indian aggression in May, and strongly condemned ongoing Indian atrocities in Held Kashmir, as well as Israeli aggression in Palestine and Qatar.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2025