Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat ul Ebad Khan and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah profusely thanked Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif for fulfilling a long-standing demand of the people of Karachi for the Green Line Bus Rapid Transit System.
They were speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of Rs 16 billion project. The ground-breaking of the Green Line Bus service was performed by the prime minister.
On the occasion, Governor Ebad said that this project was a long-standing wish and need of the people of Karachi. The governor said that the beauty and hospitality of this metropolis had resulted in the rapid increase in its population but no attention had been paid towards the proportionate development of its infrastructure which resulted in a big gap.
Ebad paid gratitude to the PM for being kind enough to pay attention to such a project. He further added that he took a bold step in 2013 to resolve the law and order situation of Karachi.
The governor also said that all the political and religious parties as well as the stakeholders had extended support and under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif the law enforcement agencies started their work by rendering sacrifices and finally restoring the law and order in the metropolis.
Dr Ebad gave the credit to the prime minister as well as all the political stakeholders of the province and the city.
He also paid tributes to Army Chief General Raheel Sharif, Corps Commander Maj General Naveed Mukhtar, Director General of Pakistan Rangers Sindh Maj General Bilal Akbar, who, the governor added, translated the prime minister’s resolve on ground, and helped overcome a difficult situation of terrorism.
Ebad was of the view that for strengthening and law and order situation, development was essential and on this count Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was also forthcoming.
He said today’s project was a historic one and that this corridor would be completed in a year’s time. The governor added that the prime minister had also broken the perception in Karachi or Sindh regarding the Punjab by taking practical steps to address the grievances of this city. He said the operation for resolving the law and order situation in Karachi would be taken to its logical conclusion.
Ebad said that there would be mobilization till March 10 regarding the K-IV bulk water supply for Karachi and that it would be launched around March 23. The respective project is 260 million gallon daily (MGD) water project for the city with phase two and three of the project it would be of a total of 660 MGD scheme.
He informed that the prime minister had decided that the stalled work of the North Bond of Lyari Expressway in Karachi would resume in some 10 days time.
The governor said that work had also been taken up on orange, blue, yellow and red lines. He also requested the prime minister to expedite the Malir Expressway project as well as the National Highway Project.
In his remarks, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah termed the Green Line Bus Rapid Transit System as a very important project which was very much needed. He announced that the Orange Line project would also be taken up soon. Qaim Ali Shah said Karachi needed water as well as electricity.
He thanked to the prime minister for taking interest in improving law and order situation in Karachi. He admitted that there was more than 70 per cent success on this count in Karachi and other parts of the province. He also confirmed that there was not a single case of kidnapping for ransom in the province and soon it would become a citadel of peace soon. He also praised the efforts and sacrifices of law enforcement agencies.
The CM said that the Motorway project should be started from Hyderabad than from Sukkur so that more people could benefit. PML-N Senator Nihal Hashmi thanked the PM for the development projects in Karachi.
He said a bold step on the part of PM Nawaz Sharif had contributed towards improvements in the law and order situation in the metropolis. Earlier, Saleh Farooqui, the chief executive of the Karachi Infrastructure Development Company, shed light on the salient features of the project.
The ceremony was also attended by Federal Information Minister Senator Pervez Rashid, Minister of State for Communications Abdul Hakeem Baloch, provincial ministers, members of the parliament, and high officials. On arrival, the prime minister was accorded a very warm welcome. Earlier, the PM performed unveiling of the plaque and also planted a sapling.
