KARACHI: The federal government has slashed Rs 16 billion of Karachi Development Package announced by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in August 2017. The announced total outlay of Package was Rs 25 billion but now after scissoring it by Planning Division, the amount is left Rs 9 billion. During a meeting between Muhammad Zubair, Governor Sindh and Waseem Akhtar, Mayor Karachi the later informed Waseem that the amount curtailed would be spent on construction of a hospital under Karachi University and for development of Industrial Zone infrastructure. Governor also informed Mayor that Rs 3.5 billion has also been cut from Rs 5 billon, allocated in Package for purchasing fire tenders, fire equipment and snorkels for Karachi Metropolitan Corporation. Commenting on the issue, Mayor was of the view that presently five projects have so far been approved while in February, approval of the remaining projects would be considered, he hoped. In additional, cleave in Package amount has also been made in construction of roads, underpasses, flyovers, transport, water and sewerage in Karachi. Now Nishter Road and Maghopir Road, flyovers on Sakhi Hassan, Five Star Chowrangi and KDA Chowrangi North Nazimabad are the projects left to be built. Concurrently, Mayor Karachi had also presented a development package proposal for city to the tune of Rs 21.92 billion on directives of federal government. The Federal Cabinet meeting also approved Mayor’s proposals in November 2017. Karachi Infrastructure Development Company Limited was announced as executing agency of these development projects, according to federal government announcement. The projects slashed in the development schemes are including Dawood Chowrangi Landhi flyover, Mauripur Road flyover, National Cricket Stadium underpass, Askari IV underpass, revamping of Gharibabad and Liaquatabad underpasses, traffic solution at Metropole intersection and internal roads in various parts of the city. In addition, development project proposals submitted by Mayor were left to Rs 9 billion. Meanwhile, a meeting of Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) is being held on January 25, 2018, which would give approval to the development package. The development funds would be released during two years period after approval by ECNEC. It is now the irony of affairs that Sindh Governor during talks with media had said that federal government has been spending Rs 75 billion on overall development projects in metropolis to overcome pressing problems which have multiplied due to a rapid increase in city’s population. After the curtailment in development budget, Karachi has become aloof to be a model metropolis. Before this, with the help of federation, Rs 50 billion had been projected in different stages for completion of development projects in Karachi. Published in Daily Times, January 24th 2018.