(Sept 07, 2020)
President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum and All Karachi Industrial Alliance, and former provincial minister Mian Zahid Hussain on Monday lauded the interest of Prime Minister Imran Khan and COAS Qamar Javed Bajwa in improving the situation in Karachi by investing billions in the infrastructure.
Both the important figures have visited Karachi, held meetings with politicians, businessmen and other stake holders and the government has announced a package of Rs1100 billion which has made everyone hopeful.
Talking to the business community, the veteran business leader said that the efforts of COAS and PM will transform Karachi into a developed city which will also expand GDP, boost production, employment and revenue to reduce poverty.
Karachi’s is contributing Rs2600 billion as taxes which can be boosted to Rs4000 billion py providing enabling environment but its infrastructure is in a shamble but it will become satisfactory as its weakness has been noticed at the highest level following the recent rains which has resulted in heavy losses, he said.
He said that rain-related losses in other cities were comparatively lower as their infrastructure was better than Karachi which has been neglected by federal and provincial governments and local bodies for decades.
The veteran business leader noted that many packages were announced for Karachi in the past but none could be implemented therefore the government should ensure transparent implementation of the recently-announced package to avoid wastage.
He said that all the stakeholders must rise about the party interests and join hands to develop Karachi and national development is impossible unless Karachi remains underdeveloped.
The economy was improving following the coronavirus-linked lockdown but the rains and weak infrastructure of Karachi has reversed all the gains.
The recent package will increase Karachi’s budget by 400 to 500 percent which must be utilised efficiently and in a transparent manner to develop the most important city of Pakistan, he demanded.
In the next step Karachi must be given financial autonomy which will go a long way in improving overall situation, he said.
He expressed satisfaction over inclusion of federal, provincial and local government officials, members of the business community and army officials.
