The Sindh government reaffirmed its commitment to address urban mobility, water and karachi mobility problems at a meeting with the Delegation of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on Thursday.
With a population of 20 million, infrastructure problems in Karachi are unbridled, ranging from transport, water and sanitation. Last year, urban planners and climate exchange experts said Karachi had become a city “cannot be lived due to pollution, crumbled infrastructure, the damn sanitation and the waste management system.
The meeting focused on future public-private partnership initiatives (PPP) and stressed the need to strengthen app in sectors such as urban mobility and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) when the prime minister detailed the legal and institutional framework of Sindh with respect to app.
He also highlighted progress in sectors such as road networks, energy, health, education and transport. The IFC delegation was directed by Linda Rudo Munyengeterwa, Director of Public-Private Associations, Privatizations and Corporate Finance Advice.
During the meeting, held in the CM House, CM Murad emphasized the commitment of the Sindh government to address the challenges of transport, water and sanitation of Karachi, highlighting the importance of the city as the economic center of Pakistan.
To this end, said the efforts of the Government of Sindh in terms of transport that included several rapid bus traffic systems (BRT), including green and orange lines. Meanwhile, he said, the work was underway in yellow and red lines along with other infrastructure projects.
He also added that the Sindh government had already introduced Bes E in Karachi and planned to expand its fleet to 800 vehicles.
The main delegate of IFC described a mass transport strategy that includes four main components: BRT operations, urban rail systems, ferry services and transport platforms.
He suggested to build a new BRT system of 18.3 km in Karachi, financed through the World Bank, along with an integrated network of feeder bus.
The IFC also emphasized the need for modern electronic just to reduce noise and air pollution in the city. He recommended the implementation of electronic buses through PPP models, where operating costs, maintenance and risks would be shared with private partners.
The main delegate spoke about the IFC experience in advice on more than 500 projects worldwide and emphasized the advantages of electronic games, including custom, lower maintenance and environmental sustainability, reported that by 2024, 80 percent of urban transport buses in successful models would be electronic buses.
When addressing Karachi’s water problems, the prime minister declared that Karachi requires 1.2 billion gallons per day, stating that the current supply is insufficient, resulting in a significant deficit.
In this regard, the K-IV project in construction highlighted that it is expected to sound at the water supply once completed. The government is also working on plans to install desalination plants to treat sea water, he confirmed.
The CM expressed interest in initiating water -related projects through the PPP model to address the water crisis, while the IFC also recommended establishing water treatment plants for industrial use and proposed that water supply and sanitation projects follow the PPP model.
The Nine Member International Finance Corporation (IFC) delegation included: Zeeshan Sheikh Country Manager, Ian Twinn Regional Manager, Regional Manager, Mr. Tanci Bakovic, Regional Operational Manager, Mr. Michael Opagi, among others.
From the Government of Sindh, the mayor of Karachi, Murtaza Wahab, the main secretary, Agha Wasif, President P&D Board Najam Shah, finance secretary Fayaz Jatoi, the DG PPP PPP Asad Zamin unit and other senior officials were present.
The IFC team presented several successful global PPP models and praised the PPP unit of the Sindh government and its general policy frame.
“Sindh is a province that has been implementing PPP since 2008, and it really is an example of how public-private partnerships should be made,” said Munyengeterwa while insisted on the need for more private public associations.
Expressing emotion to the perspective of future association opportunities, Munyengeterwa said: “IFC hoped to show Sindh as a model for other provinces and even other countries.”
“With luck, its success can serve as an international example of how to do PPP in the right way,” he added.
The IFC and Sindh government agreed to collaborate closely in future PPP initiatives in urban mobility and water management to improve the provision of urban services and infrastructure in Karachi and beyond.
