KARACHI: Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the Rs10 billion package announced for the Development of Karachi will be fully utilized on 18 development schemes which will be completed within the next 4 to 6 months.
Exchanging views during his visit to Karachi Chamber on Wednesday, Chief Minister added that the Planning and Development Department has already approved these schemes while the contractors will be shortlisted by October 2016 and the development work will be completed in the next six months which may result in causing temporary problems but these schemes, upon completion, will surely provide huge relief to the citizens.
Sindh Minister for Industries Manzoor Hussain Wassan, Sindh Minister for Local Governments Jam Khan Shoro, Chairman Businessmen Group & Former President KCCI Siraj Kassam Teli, Vice Chairmen BMG Tahir Khaliq, Haroon Farooki & Anjum Nisar, President KCCI Younus Muhammad Bashir, Senior Vice President Zia Ahmed Khan, Vice President KCCI Muhammad Naeem Sharif, Incoming President KCCI Shamim Ahmed Firpo and KCCI Managing Committee members along with Former Presidents and government officials were also present on the occasion.
In response to Siraj Teli’s concerns expressed over the configuration of protocol being followed by Federal and Sindh government which was introduced during Musharraf’s regime and stays enforced to date, Chief Minister Sindh opined that this needs to be changed at both levels whereas he has no protocol issues and was ready to sit anywhere during the meetings with representatives of Karachi Chamber being held either at KCCI or at CM House.
Referring to concerns expressed by Karachi Chamber over the unjust distribution of gas resources of Sindh province, he assured to take up this issue with the federal government in Council of Common Interest (CCI) meeting which was already due and the Prime Minister will be requested to hold the same at the earliest.
In response to KCCI’s suggestions, Murad Ali Shah agreed to formulate two committees with Karachi Chamber’s representation, of which one committee will be notified for revision of obsolete labor, Excise and taxation laws whereas the other committee will look into resolving the issues being faced by indenters after the imposition of 14 percent services sales tax by SRB.