Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Friday that a comprehensive plan is being worked out, for a functioning sewerage system and the provision of potable water, in Karachi in consultation with all stakeholders.
Chairing a meeting on the federal government’s uplift schemes ongoing in Sindh, Karachi in particular, he said he has directed the federal authorities to provide relief to the residents of the port city devastated by record torrential rain.
The prime minister said he had a telephonic conversation with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah after the rain and assured of provision of all possible support by the Centre and federal institutions.
“Karachi is the most important city of Pakistan,” he underlined, adding that all resources will be utilised to tackle any eventualities in the metropolis.
Prime Minister Khan maintained that he is well aware of development needs of the people of the province and the city and reiterated the federal government’s resolve to play its role in this regard.
Over the course of the meeting, Governor Imran Ismail briefed the prime minister on the situation of Karachi after the latest monsoon spell. The meeting reviewed in detail the progress thus far made towards completion of the federal government’s uplift schemes in the megacity.
Development and Planning Minister Asad Umar, Minister for Communications Murad Saeed, and senior government officials were in attendance in the meeting. The Sindh governor attended the meeting through video link.
Later in the day, during a National Coordination Committee meeting, Prime Minister Imran Khan told Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah that he will visit Karachi next week.
“I will sit with you to draw up a complete plan to help (the) Sindh govt,” the prime minister was quoted as saying by a statement released by Sindh’s CM House. Chief Minister Shah thanked the prime minister for calling him and offering assistance. Shah said that Karachi had faced a “disaster” and added that rains had affected almost the entire Sindh province.
Earlier, Chief Minister Shah visited Nursery, Rashid Minhas Road and Yar Mohammad Goth among other areas, where he was briefed about the water drainage situation. On his visit to Yar Mohammad Goth, the chief minister heard complaints of power outages and other issues being faced by the residents.
Shah also chided the people for “building houses in the belly of the Malir River”. The entire city is sinking because of your encroachments,” he said. “You blocked Malir River in the name of Agha Town”.
During his visit to Nursery, residents told Shah that the drainage system was badly affected due to construction on the right side of Shara-e-Faisal.
The chief minister instructed the managing director of the Water Board to review the city’s master plan and submit a report on the matter. Shah said he wanted to know which of the buildings had affected water drainage in the metropolis.
The CM was told that the drainpipe crossing Rashid Minhas road, which has caved in due to rain, has “contracted” resulting in the flooding of Drigh Road underpass.
