Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Saturday criticised the federal government for what he described as a “low priority” approach towards Karachi, arguing that the country’s largest city continues to shoulder immense economic and infrastructural burdens despite its significant contribution to the national economy.
Speaking to the media in Karachi, Memon said Karachi remained Pakistan’s most challenging city, facing pressures stemming from migration, trade, employment and transportation.
“We do have motorway issues. Karachi has been given low priority by the federal government,” he said, noting that as the country’s main port city, Karachi should have been prioritised in the development of the motorway network.
“When you have to start a motorway, you should start it from Karachi. But it has been built everywhere except Karachi,” he added.
The minister said Karachi’s infrastructure was under extraordinary strain as heavy traffic from across the country converged on the city.
“All of Pakistan’s heavy traffic comes into Karachi and damages the infrastructure,” he said.
To address the issue, he said the Sindh government was working on multiple projects, including plans to divert freight traffic away from the city centre.
“We have launched a project under which we aim to shift Karachi’s traffic and develop a state-of-the-art transport terminal on the Northern Bypass,” he said. He added that a railway line was also being developed to transport goods directly to the bypass so that heavy vehicles serving the ports would not have to enter the city.
Memon also highlighted the completion of the Shahrah-i-Bhutto project, describing it as a major infrastructure initiative that had already received a positive response from commuters.
“Those who are travelling from Karachi to Hyderabad, lower Sindh or other parts of the country are saving time because of this project,” he said.
Calling it a “state-of-the-art project”, he said the government had deployed police personnel, Rescue 1122 services, ambulances and other basic facilities along the corridor to facilitate commuters.
The minister said the provincial government had undertaken several difficult decisions to improve public services and infrastructure.
“We have taken some tough decisions. The public will have to face hardship, and we are apologising for that,” he said.
Responding to comparisons with Punjab, he said Karachi faced unique challenges that distinguished it from other cities and provinces.
According to the minister, around 20 per cent of the city’s water shortfall was being met through tanker services, which further contributed to traffic congestion.
He said that people from across Pakistan continued to come to Karachi in search of employment and better opportunities, increasing pressure on the metropolis’ civic infrastructure.
“Despite so many challenges, Karachi is coping, and we also have to provide facilities. When people from outside come and use the infrastructure, drainage systems, and resources, it puts additional pressure on Karachi,” he said.
PPP to clean sweep GB elections
Memon also commented on the upcoming Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) elections, expressing confidence that the PPP would “clean sweep” the polls.
Referring to former PML-N leader Captain Safdar, he said his political importance was well known. He alleged that Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) had historically been given low priority, claiming that individuals with no significant political role elsewhere were often posted there.
He also criticised the tone of political discourse during elections in the region, saying that the use of abusive language by some political actors was regrettable and brought shame to the democratic process.
Discussing the electoral campaign, he said the PPP’s public gatherings in GB had attracted large crowds, while the PML-N’s rallies had seen comparatively lower turnout. He maintained that this reflected growing public support for the PPP in the region.
He said he was confident that the PPP would secure victory in the GB elections, while predicting defeat for the PML-N.
