KARACHI: Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has called on the Sindh government to expedite critical infrastructure projects in Karachi, particularly the K-IV water supply scheme, citing the metropolis’s status as Pakistan’s financial and industrial heart.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with the Pakistan Business Council, Iqbal highlighted the federal government’s commitment of Rs125 billion to the K-IV project and urged the Sindh government to deliver on the downstream components. “Karachi is Pakistan’s economic runway—it needs infrastructure that matches its potential,” he stated.
He noted that the federal government had already released Rs5 billion for road development in the SITE industrial zone, and pointed to the successful execution of the Green Line BRT project, which involved a Rs25 billion investment.
Iqbal stressed that public-private partnerships would be crucial to unlocking economic growth, especially amid limited public sector investment capacity. He proposed forming a dedicated working group within the Planning Ministry to address private sector challenges, adding that the Pakistan Business Council had pledged full cooperation.
He also emphasised the role of corporate stakeholders in improving gender and disability inclusion, and said efforts to enhance youth IT skills were underway with a view to aligning with global sustainability goals.
On broader infrastructure, the minister announced that construction on the Hyderabad–Sukkur Motorway would begin in 2025 and be completed within three years. Feasibility work has also commenced on a new alignment for the Hyderabad–Karachi Motorway.
Concluding, he proposed that Karachi explore wastewater recycling for use in agriculture and industry to ease the city’s growing water crisis.
