The Minister of Planning, Ahsan Iqbal, urged the Sindh government to prioritize the development of Karachi’s infrastructure, in particular the K-IV water supply project, calling the economic and financial center of the city of Pakistan, reported Express News.
Addressing the media following a meeting with members of Pakistan Business Council, Iqbal said that the federal government is investing RS125B in the K-IV project and expects the provincial government to fulfill its responsibilities concerning downstream components.
He stressed that Karachi, being the economic track of Pakistan, must receive targeted infrastructure support. “The federal government has already approved RS5B for the construction of roads in the industrial area of the site,” he noted.
Iqbal stressed that the federal government will play an active role in improving Karachi’s infrastructure, referring to the success of the BRT Green Line project, which has experienced an RS25B investment.
During the briefing, he underlined the need to exploit the potential of the business sector as the main engine of economic growth. He explained that the capacity of the public sector to attract investments has decreased due to the crises in progress, which makes the role of the private enterprise more crucial.
He also noted that the government had launched several initiatives aimed at strengthening the skills of young people in the IT sector and intends to collaborate with the business sector to meet global environmental standards. He praised businesses to support women and people with disabilities, urging continuous improvements in these areas.
“We will train a working group within the Ministry of Planning to meet the challenges of the private sector as a priority,” he added. “Pakistan Business Council has promised its cooperation and research continues to help shape effective economic policies.”
Iqbal reiterated that public-private partnerships would be essential to activate unused government assets and land.
In addition, he confirmed that work on the Hyderabad-Sukkur motorway would begin in 2025, with the completion scheduled for three years. The Ministry of Communications also started feasibility for a new alignment of the Hyderabad-Karachi motorway.
By concluding its remarks, Iqbal called for recycling of wastewater in Karachi, suggesting its reuse in agriculture and industry, which would help to meet the city’s water needs.
