Karachi: In a significant meeting between Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister, Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar, and Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar at PM House Islamabad, the focus was on addressing and advancing five important development projects within the province. During this meeting, the CM emphasized the need to remove bottlenecks for the successful completion and launch of these projects.
Sovereign Guarantee for KCR
One of the projects discussed was the Karachi Circular Railways (KCR), for which the federal government’s support is crucial.
Justice (retd) Baqar highlighted the necessity of a Sovereign Guarantee for the KCR project loan, as it would provide financial security and assurance for investors and stakeholders.
He recommended the federal government to sign a framework agreement to facilitate the project’s progress under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Moreover, the CM requested that Pakistan Railways release the necessary land along the Right of Way (RoW) for KCR, which is critical for the project’s success.
Red Line Project
The discussion extended to the Red Line project, which is being implemented with the assistance of various international institutions.
The CM emphasized that price adjustments and escalation formulas had been approved by Trans Karachi Board and the Sindh cabinet. However, the proposal had been pending for approval by ECNEC/Planning Commission for over two months.
Justice (retd) Baqar urged the Prime Minister to expedite the approval process, enabling TransKarachi to cover losses, resume work, and complete the project on schedule.
K-IV Water Supply Project
The Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply (K-IV) project also came under scrutiny. The CM pointed out that delays in the project’s completion could lead to water supply shortages in Karachi.
Despite an urgent need, the project’s allocation in the PSDP 2023-24 was deemed insufficient.
Justice (retd) Baqar requested an additional allocation of at least Rs24.5 billion during the current financial year to ensure the project’s timely completion. The Prime Minister assured his support for the project.
Malir Expressway
The CM highlighted that work on the Malir Expressway was progressing well but faced obstacles in obtaining necessary NOCs and permissions from federal government ministries.
Commercial banks providing project funding had made these NOCs a condition for disbursements. To avoid any disruption in funding, the CM stressed the need to obtain these NOCs by November 15, 2023.
The Prime Minister assured his commitment to expedite the issuance of NOCs.
Cross-Input Tax
A matter of concern was the Cross-Input Tax, which had been deducted by the federal government from Sindh’s revenue. The CM urged the Prime Minister to instruct the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to reconcile this amount with the Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) to settle the deduction.
In response, the interim Prime Minister proposed organizing a meeting between the Sindh team and concerned federal secretaries to address the raised issues.
The Prime Minister affirmed his support for resolving these critical provincial projects, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and timely action to ensure their successful implementation.
