KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Sunday that he would approach Prime Minister-elect Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the issue of delay in release of funds by the federal government for the much-awaited Greater Karachi Water Supply Project, commonly known as K-IV.

Speaking to reporters at the office of the Election Commission of Pakistan here, he said that the federal government had allocated Rs16 billion for the project, but released only Rs4bn so far.

He expressed concern that the project would suffer more delays if the remaining funds were not released soon.

Accompanied by PPP leaders who filed nomination papers for contesting elections on two Senate vacant seats in Sindh, the CM stated that the PM-elect would take the oath of his position on Monday and it was his primary responsibility to strengthen the economy.

Says Centre had allocated Rs16bn but released only Rs4bn

“People are currently facing an unprecedented rise in prices and the new federal government will have to take steps to address this issue. This can only be achieved by withdrawing subsidies being enjoyed by the elite,” he said.

CM Shah stated that he intended to write a letter to the new prime minister, requesting for the completion of the K-IV project.

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He emphasised that the K-IV project was crucial to meet the water requirements of the city.

About the upcoming Senate elections, the CM said that the PPP candidates would easily be elected as senators from the provincial assembly.

“We need only 108 votes for the two seats and we have 114 votes in the house. We will get our candidates elected easily for which I am congratulating [former] president Asif Ali Zardari,” he said.

In response to a question, the chief minister said that Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab was working tirelessly to turn Karachi into one of the most advanced cities in the world.

“As an elected mayor, he has all the necessary powers,” he said, adding that any changes in the local government law would be made by the Sindh Assembly.

Commenting on the PML-N’s agreement with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan regarding an empowered local government system, the CM was of the view that the PML-N could not make amendments to the local government law as demanded by the MQM-P since it had not a single MPA in the Sindh Assembly.

He said that at present the MQM-P leadership was in Islamabad for the election of the prime minister and “we will approach them for the presidential election”.

He admitted that the MQM-P and the PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council had stakes in Sindh. “I want to take all the stakeholders together so that the issues of the province can be resolved with collective wisdom.”

He said that maintenance of law and order was the responsibility of the provincial government for which he hads given necessary instructions to the police and Rangers. “We will soon rid Karachi of street criminals and riverine area of dacoit gangs,” he said.

About protest by the Grand Democratic Alliance, the CM said that despite Pir Pagara’s announcement that MPAs-elect of the GDA would not take the oath the lawmakers got themselves notified from the Election Commission and took the oath.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2024