Newly-elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed issues pertaining to Karachi during a one-on-one meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah at the CM House during the premier's day-long visit to the southern port city.
PM Shehbaz arrived in Karachi on Wednesday (today) during which he is expected to meet coalition partners of the government, including the Pakistan people's Party and the Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan, Aaj News reported.**
Addressing a press conference after his meeting with CM Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, PM Shehbaz said that he would request China to incorporate Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) into the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The prime minister said that the Chinese government had initially hinted at including the KCR in the CPEC; however, he would take up the matter again.
Earlier in the day Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah and his cabinet welcomed the prime minister in the provincial capital, who then visited the mausoleum of the country's founding father, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
During the meeting, PM Shehbaz was briefed about development projects, including KCR, drinking water supply, and public transport system.
Sindh has lagged behind in various human development, and economic indicators after years of under-investment, particularly in public transport and infrastructure.
The premier assured the provincial government of all-out support for the uplift of the port city.
He said that besides Orange, Green, and Red line services, an air-conditioned bus service was also equally essential for the city for which private companies could be engaged with the financial support of the federal and provincial governments.
Contrary to former prime minister Imran Khan's tenure where all federal government meetings in Karachi were held at the Governor House, the prime minister and provincial ministers met at the Chief Minister's House. Shehbaz is accompanied by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Marriyum Aurangzeb, and Miftah Ismail.
Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz is also expected to visit the MQM-P head office in Bahadurabad later in the day.
Earlier, MQM-P was a coalition partner of the former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government in the centre. However, as the no-confidence motion against the ex-PM Imran gained momentum, the Sindh urban-based party switched sides and joined the then opposition.
Former prime minister Imran Khan was ousted from the office after a late-night vote on the no-confidence motion against him in the National Assembly on April 9.
On Tuesday, Senate Chairperson Sadiq Sanjrani administered the oath to PM Shehbaz, for the prime minister's office.
