KARACHI: City Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for development projects worth approximately Rs732 million in North Karachi Industrial Area to improve roads, drainage systems and other basic infrastructure, facilitate industrial activities and promote economic growth.
The projects are being undertaken by the North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI). The ceremony was attended by representatives of the industrial community, City Council members and NKATI President Faisal Moiz Khan.
Addressing the ceremony, themayor said improved infrastructure in industrial zones was essentialfor creating a businessfriendly environment, attracting investment, generating employment and strengthening the national economy.
He said industrialgrowth would benefit citizens through job creation, increased tax revenue and foreign exchange earnings.
He assured industrialists of the Sindh government’s continued cooperation, saying practical measures and collective efforts were needed to address the challenges facing Karachi’s business community.
The mayor highlighted several key issues affecting industrial development, including gas shortages, expensive electricityand water supply constraints.
Referring to Article 158 of the Constitution, he said Sindh, despite being a major gas-producing province, was not receiving its due share.
He urged the federal government to address the issue and ensure the implementation of the constitutional principle of provincial priority.
He also called for greater utilisation of Sindh’s wind energy potential to provide affordable electricity to industries, while stressing the need to simplify the business environment and reduce the costofdoingbusiness.
On Karachi’s water crisis, he said existing infrastructure had thecapacitytotransportbetween 100 and 200 million gallons ofwater daily to the city. He urged the federal government to facilitate an increase in Karachi’s water allocation.
He further announced plans to pursue international compliance, chemical analysis, recycling, sewage treatment and biogas projects in collaboration with industrialists, assuring them of government support for initiatives benefiting the public.
The mayor directed consultants and contractors to complete the ongoing development works at the earliest, particularly road construction and drainage projects.
He said approximately Rs732m would be spent on the initiative, with the amount to be subsequently sought from the Sindh government.