Prime Minister Imran Khan Saturday said the overall progress of the country is linked with development of port city of Karachi.
Addressing a ceremony via video link regarding inauguration of various development projects initiated by the federal government in Karachi, the prime minister said that Pakistan’s interests are linked with the development of Karachi as it affects the whole country of the country. He said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government is making all-out efforts to resolve Karachi’s issues and launch mega development projects there.
He said that the development projects he had to inaugurate on Saturday included three flyovers and two roads, and asked the governor Sindh to provide further details about different projects.
The ceremony was attended by Governor Sindh Imran Ismail, Minister for Planning Asad Umar, Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi, Mayor Karachi Wasim Akhtar, and others.
Referring to 18th Amendment, the prime minister said within the ambit of this constitutional provision, the PTI government is making all-out efforts for the development of the Sindh province, particularly Karachi. He said that provincial funding alone cannot develop the provincial metropolitan as is evident from the best management practices adopted worldwide. The best management system added to the development of mega cities in the world including London, Paris, Tehran, he added.
The prime minister said the local government system and mayorship are effective in resolution of different issues. About police reforms, he said in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, steps have been taken to empower the police force, ending political interference.
The prime minister also expressed his regret for not attending the ceremony due to the inclement weather which prevented him from traveling to Karachi.
Earlier, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said that Prime Minister’s Karachi visit has been cancelled due to inclement weather. In a tweet, she said that Governor Sindh Imran Ismail inaugurated the development projects on behalf of the prime minister. She said that Karachi is financial hub of Pakistan and it is vision of the PM to convert it into a modern developed city.
In Lahore, Railways Minister Shiekh Rashid said Prime Minister Imran Khan will soon announce a good news regarding progress of the national economy. He said that the prime minister will also unveil the names of sugar and flour mafia within the current month, adding that the prime minister will also take strict action against the looters and plunderers. To a question about any in-house change in the government, he said that these are just rumors and no in-house change is on the cards.
Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry also Saturday expressed hope that inflation rate is expected to further decline in the month of March. In a tweet, he said inflation rate has reduced for the second consecutive month and will witness further reduction in the month of March. The government efforts and reduction in oil prices in international market are the reasons of reduction in inflation rate in the country, he added.
