KARACHI: The Sindh government is planning to ask the federal government to hand over complete ownership or control of the Karachi Circular Railway project to the provincial government so that it could remove hitches and implement the project quickly, the Sindh Assembly was told on Monday.

The information was provided by Sindh Transport Minister Mumtaz Jakhrani while responding to a short notice question asked during the question hour by Muttahida Qaumi Movement legislator Mohammad Hussain, who wanted to know about the update, any delaying tactics used by the federal government in the project, and reported backing out of the donor Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) from the KCR project.

The minister said the KCR started in 1964 and was shut down in 1999. JICA showed interest in its revival in 2005. A project was developed in which the federal and Sindh governments were among its partners. He said that while the Sindh government was trying to expedite the process, things did not move as fast in the federal government. He said of the KCR`s 43-kilometre-long track, an 8km patch was under encroachment. The encroachers were being given relocation compensation. A few encroachers had Eled a case in the Sindh High Court against the government and JICA, owing to which the donor which didnot like the slow progress on it and backed out of the project.

He said efforts would be made to bring JICA back, but if that did not happen, a few Chinese companies, which had also shown interest in the KCR, would be approached and the project would be launched soon. He said the Sindh government also planned to approach the federal government to hand over the KCR project completely to the provincial authorities so that it could be implemented soon.

Answering another short notice question by MQM legislator Kamran Akhtar regarding city transporters` refusal to reduce fares despite a sharp decrease in petrol/ diesel prices, minister Jakhrani said that while intercity fares had been reduced the city transporters argued that their vehicles ran on CNG and not on petrol/ diesel. But, he added, efforts were being made to persuade them and if they did not relent, stern action would be taken against them shortly.

Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani said that using CNG in public transport was dangerous and such vehicles should be banned. The minister said the transporters had shown him a court ruling allowing them to use CNG in public transport. Mr Durrani said he was not aware of that, but the court could be approached to seek a revised decision.

Responding to a question by Pakistan Peoples Party legislator Shahina Mumtaz during the question hour which pertained to the fisheries department and the Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (STEVTA) that if thepotable water near the Zero Point in Badin was safe to consume, Fisheries Minister Jam Khan Shoro said owing to no or very low water releases below, the Kotri Barrage seawater was making intrusion in the coastal districts and thousands of acres of fertile agricultural land in Thatta and Badin districts, including that near the Zero Point, had gone waste while the sub-soil aquifer had also been contaminated with sea water.

He said the government had set up an RO plant to provide safe drinking water to the fishermen at the Zero Point.

Responding to a question by Pakistan Muslim League-Functional legislator Nusrat Sehar Abbasi why the European Union had banned fish import from Pakistan and if the ban was still in place, minister Shoro said the EU had imposed a ban in 2007 over poor handling of fish which affected its quality.

However, a Rs507 million rehabilitation and renovation of Karachi Fish Harbour project was implemented and completed in 2012 through which subsidies were provided to fishermen to upgrade their boats and equipment, and the EU lifted the ban.

In reply to a question by PML-N legislator Shafi Jamote if any boats from outside the Karachi Fish Harbour were also upgraded under the project as around 75 per cent of the fish catch brought in to the KFH was through outside boats, the minister said only boats registered with the KFH were provided the assistance.

Answering a question by PPP legislator Kulsoom Chandio that if any lakes were under occupation of influential people whodid not allow fishermen to fish there, minister Shoro said no lake was under occupation.

The legislator said she would give the names of lakes and occupying people to the minister in his office, but when spealcer Durrani asked her to give the names in the assembly, she did not do that.

Responding to a question by PPP legislator Naeem Kharal regarding the incomplete building of an institute at Khora Town in Gambat, parliamentary secretary for STEVTA Shahid Thaheem said between 30 and 40 per cent work on the institute building had been completed and as and when more funding was available, the rest of the work would also be completed.

Answering a question by MQM legislator Khalid Ahmed regarding incomplete buildings of 11 such STEVTA institutes in different areas of Karachi, where between 70 and 80 per cent of the work had been completed, Mr Thaheem said he was not aware of that and if specific names of the projects and their locations were given, he could find out and inform the assembly about it.

Responding to a question by PML-F legislator Nusrat Sehar Abbasi if any quota had been set in government jobs for the STEVTA institutes graduates, the minister said the government gave a priority to them. Besides the training given was so good that they easily got jobs in the private sector.

MQM legislators Saleem Bandhani, Ashfaque Mangi, Naheed Begum, Sumeta Syed; the PPP`s Mujtaba Isran, Khursheed Junejo, Khairunnisa Mughal and others also spoke.