KARACHI, Jan 19: Nazim Karachi Naimatullah Khan has said the investment climate in the country and in the city is quite favourable.

Speaking in a radio programme on Sunday the Nazim pointed out that some three to four delegations came from abroad every month with the desire to undertake investment. He was of the view that the law and order situation in Karachi was not bad as was portrayed by a section of the press.

Naimatullah Khan said there was a plan for revamping the circular railway and the feasibility had been prepared. A sum of about Rs22 billion was required for the project.

He said efforts were being made to take up the mass transit programme which might take a year or two, and the acquisition of large buses had been initiated under the Urban Transport Scheme and as many as 14 transporters had qualified for the scheme. A subsidy would also be offered.

The Nazim said as many as 28 CNG buses had already arrived and a group of expatriate Pakistanis from Saudi Arabia wanted to bring some 50 buses.

The Nazim said for tackling the problem of encroachments, a start was being made from the Saddar area for which a committee had been set up. A separate space would be made available for the parking of vehicles. Arrangements would be made for vertical parking in the area. The Nazim announced that wherever possible food streets would be set up in Karachi and only pedestrians would be allowed there.

He said that for enhancing water resources, talks were being held with various parties for setting up desalination plants. Sewerage water would be treated for industrial use as well as for gardening.

Referring to the visit of a councillor from Britain he pointed out that a UK company was interested in investment towards the solid waste management project and sewerage water treatment. He said in many countries electricity was being produced out of garbage. In Karachi some 8,000 tons of garbage was produced daily and that a huge sum was spent on its disposal.

The Nazim said some 1500 parks in Karachi were undeveloped and that they would be developed. IT parks would also be set up. The Nazim said efforts were also being made to tackle the problem of contaminated water. He said at some places water and sewerage lines were in bad shape, and the sewerage system was decades old.

He said a new sewerage line had been laid in eight different areas of the city including North Nazimabad, Gulshan- i- Iqbal and Jehangir Road.

He said the campaign against beggary would be run on a permanent basis so as to rid the city of the menace of professional beggars.—APP