Karachi: President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF), President AKIA, Senior Vice Chairman of the Businessmen Panel of FPCCI and former provincial minister, Mian Zahid Hussain on Friday said that Karachi has vital role in the economy of Pakistan and contributes in collecting 70 percent of the national exchequer. Pakistan Army, Rangers and Sindh Police have sacrificed a lot to restore the lights of the city and improve the trade and industry environment.
The veteran business leader while talking to the business community said that despite being the economic and industrial hub of the Country, Karachi has been deprived of the safe city project. According to CPLC statistics, 20 thousand incidents of street crimes have taken place in just last three months in which 394 four wheelers, 8 thousand motorcycles, and 10 thousand mobile phones have been snatched from the citizens. In counter actions from LEAs 38 percent four wheelers, 18 percent motorcycles and only 5 percent mobile phones have been recovered. The previous govt. has completed Lahore safe city project with the cost of Rs. 12 billion and approved the same for 6 megacities in Punjab including Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Gujranwala and Sargodha, where construction is under process. Safe city project has initiated in Karachi but on the charges of Rs. 550 million corruptions NAB intervened and the project has been stopped before its inauguration. In all megacities across the globe, safe city projects are playing an effective role in the security of citizens, curbing criminal activities and traffic management, but unfortunately, Karachi is still deprived of such important project for the security of its citizens. The government of Sindh should take immediate measures to reinitiate Karachi safe city project in addition to other megacities in the province.
The former minister said that the safe city project will not only enhance the security of citizens in the City but will also play a significant role in improving the City’s economy. With a reduction in crime rate in the city, investors will get attract thus existing trade will boost and new investment opportunities of will open in the City.
Mian Zahid Hussain said that safe city project will also help in traffic management of the Mega City. Annually, 35,000 traffic accidents take place in Karachi causing loss of hundreds of valued lives and body parts of many. Violation of traffic rules is amongst the basic causes of these accidents including over speeding, violation of one-way and driving without a license. Safe city project will ensure the implementation of traffic rules through modern surveillance techniques.
Mian Zahid Hussain said that rate of recovery of lost or snatched valuables will also be improved with safe city project; the sense of accountability will be increased amongst the law enforcement agencies personnel, counter-terrorism will get faster and busting criminal elements will get improved. Initiatives taken by AIG Sindh Dr. Munir Shaikh are supportive towards rule of law in the City.
