KARACHI: City Mayor Wasim Akhtar on Wednesday said the construction of Hawkesbay Expressway along Mauripur Road would offer great convenience to citizens in order to access the coastal belt on the western wing of the city.

“The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) will provide all possible cooperation for this project,” said the mayor while presiding over a meeting on the construction of Hawkesbay Expressway at his office.

The meeting was also attended by a Chinese delegation, Pakistan Navy’s Capt M. Rizwan, representatives of the private-public partnership (PPP) of the provincial finance ministry, municipal commissioner, KMC financial adviser, KMC DG technical and senior directors for land and municipal services.

A memorandum of understanding was also signed between the KMC and a Chinese company — JV China Railways Bureau 17/Orchid Builders and Developers — for the development of ‘grand tang beach resort’ in Hawkesbay and the construction of the 5.36-kilometre-long elevated expressway from Clifton to Hawkesbay.

The mayor welcomed the Chinese delegation saying that his initiative was aimed at taking all stakeholders, including the provincial government, on board vis-a-vis the project.

He asked the director technical to provide full assistance to the Chinese delegation regarding preparation of the project and ensure close coordination with them. He said meetings for the Chinese officials would be organised with the local authorities concerned so that they could be given proper briefing on the project.

The Chinese representatives said they had arranged for all required investment under government-to-government basis and the scheme had been sent to the Chinese government for formal approval.

Mayor Akhtar said a survey, including all necessary details regarding the project, had been made already. He asked the technical department to provide all necessary information to the Sindh government so that the latter’s PPP could be approached for related permissions.

The meeting participants were informed that the Sindh chief minister would also be given a briefing on the project.

On the recommendation of the finance ministry’s PPP, the focal person for the Chinese delegation was tasked to contact the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) and other authorities concerned of the federal government for swift progress in implementing the project.

During the meeting, it was decided that the mayor would request the governor of Sindh to chair a meeting with all stockholders in this regard.

Baba-i-Urdu

Deputy Mayor Arshad Vohra visited the Abdul Haq campus of the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology and paid respect to Baba-i-Urdu Maulvi Abdul Haq at his grave on the great luminary’s 56th death anniversary.

He laid a wreath on the grave as the FUUAST vice chancellor, president of the Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu and other senior officials, teachers and scholars were present.

Dr Vohra said Urdu was a symbol of unity and solidarity in the country and a great source of communication. He said Baba-i-Urdu was a ‘one-man army’ who relentlessly worked for the promotion of the language.

He said Abdul Haq desired to see a university like Usmania University in Hyderabad Deccan and he had made all his efforts to establish the Urdu University. He could not see his dream realised in his life, but, finally it came true with the efforts of his disciples.

The deputy mayor said Urdu was a language of love, which was evident from hundreds of millions of people, including those who adopted it as their second language, who expressed love and affection for it.

He said Karachi was a microcosm of Pakistan where people speaking many languages live, but, all of them were united by Urdu.

He said Baba-i-Urdu’s dream was worth realising and the best tribute to the great scholar was to serve Urdu with the passion and compassion as he did in his lifetime.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2017