KARACHI, Nov 18: City Nazim Naimatullah Khan left for Islamabad on Thursday to attend a high-level meeting, to be chaired by President Pervez Musharraf on Friday , where important decision on the Karachi Mass Transit Project is expected.

Official sources told PPI that the KMTP would come under detailed deliberations, and a final decision was likely to be taken to break the impasse, which slowed down the pace of implementation of this vital project aimed at streamlining the traffic system in the city.

Serious differences had developed between the city government of Karachi and the Federal Planning Commission, when the latter asked the CDGK to get the project implemented on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis in stead of credit financing.

Reportedly, the city government had signed a preliminary agreement with a Chinese firm, one of the seven pre-qualified firms, for the project in May this year, to implement the project on credit financing.

The ground breaking of the project was expected in December this year during the Chinese prime minister's visit to the country. However, efforts to start the project came to a halt after Planning Commission's condition of implementing the project on BOT basis.

The move by the Commission had been resented by the city and Sindh governments, which for the first time took a common stand on any issue and termed it an 'anti-Karachi' step.

The officials said that intervention of president in the issue meant a failure of federal, Sindh and city governments to agree on one point.

"A breakthrough is likely to be achieved in tomorrow's meeting, as officials here hope for a final decision by president, which would be acceptable to the federal government as well as to Sindh and city governments", they added.

TASK FORCE: Sindh Transport, Labour and Industry Minister Mohammad Adil Siddiqui on Thursday left for Islamabad to attend the meeting on Friday, in which the Task Force on Karachi Circular Railway will present its plan of action, adds APP.