ISLAMABAD, Sep 06 (DNA): Federal Minister for Planning, Development and
Special Initiatives Asad Umar set the record straight on Sunday
regarding the federal government’s contribution to the Rs1,100 billion
Karachi transformation package announced by the prime minister on
Saturday.

Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the massive package after a meeting
with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Governor Imran Ismail and
provincial MPAs but did not give a breakdown of the contributions.

Later in the day, PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari claimed that
the province was funding Rs800 billion of the total Rs1,100 billion. On
Sunday, Umar held a press conference where he refuted this claims.

He said the federal government was funding 62% of the package, while the
Sindh government was funding 38% of it. We didn’t want to take away from
the spirit of the package by announcing who’s paying what, said Umar.
However, he said the PPP chairperson’s statement compelled him to hold
the press conference to clear up any misunderstandings sooner rather
than later.

CM Shah never raised any issues and we have no problems with anything he
said, announced Umar. “He should convey that to his party chief.”

Anyone working with us should know, we don’t say anything behind closed
doors that we won’t say in front of a TV camera, warned Umar.

He said they would have no issue if the Sindh government wanted to pay
Rs800 billion for the package. But we didn’t and don’t want to say we’re
paying more than the provincial government or anything like that, he
said.

If this package is successful, it will not be because we found new
projects, new modes of funding or set up monitoring committees, said the
minister. “It will only be successful if Pakistan’s various institutions
and governments accept that Pakistan cannot prosper the way we all want
it to unless something is done for the country’s biggest city, its
financial centre and the city that gives it the most revenue,” he said.

Working for the city of Karach is our responsibility, he said, adding
that there are no politics at play here.

He warned the PPP-led Sindh government that the Centre won’t silent if
anyone distorts facts and engages in political point-scoring. DNA

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