Asad says Karachi hasn't gotten its rights

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said on Sunday that Karachi was not an "ordinary city" and that it had not been given its rights despite providing resources to the whole of Pakistan.

He was addressing a ceremony at Governor House in Karachi for the handover of 50 fire tenders and two water bowsers to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) with Sindh Governor Imran Ismail also attending the event. The fire tenders had arrived in Karachi last month to boost the city's fire emergency system.

Umar said the federal government was going above and beyond its constitutional responsibility and fulfilling its "personal responsibility" in spearheading many development projects in Karachi because "it is not an ordinary city." The minister said Karachi was the city which provided many resources to the rest of the country but "it has not been given its rights." "The Centre has stepped forward and is trying to address Karachi's legitimate complaints and grievances," Umar said, adding that Governor Ismail and Prime Minister Imran Khan had themselves taken personal interest in these operations. "He (prime minister) calls meetings, demands timelines and pressures all of us that we live up to the expectations of the people of Karachi for development projects."

The federal minister also gave updates on the progress of projects associated with the Karachi Transformation Plan, saying that a meeting had been called for a revised schedule of the Greater Karachi Water Supply Scheme (K-IV project) since the timeline given for October 2023 was not accepted. He added that a consultant had been appointed for the Karachi Circular Railway and there was similar swiftness in removing encroachments from stormwater drains as well.

With regards the Green Line Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), Umar said that work had started on the prototype for a bus which "will be completed by next month (March)". "We hope to start delivery of buses in the month of June," said Umar, adding that the target was to have the Green Line operational by the months of July and August.

"For the first time in the history of Karachi and Pakistan, there will be a modern transport system running in this city." He said bidding for the intelligent transportation system package - the computerised system responsible for running and coordinating the bus service - had also opened on February 11 and it would be awarded soon.

The Green Line was first announced in 2014 under the previous PML-N government and formally inaugurated in 2016 by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who at the time had said "it will be more beautiful than the Lahore metro bus." Components of the project include 22 bus stations, escalators and elevators, a bus depot at Surjani Town and a command and control centre in Saddar.