Federal govt allocates 62% funds for development of Karachi: Asad Umar

KARACHI (92 News) - Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar has said that the federal government has allocated 62 percent while Sindh government 38 percent funds for development of Karachi. Addressing a press conference along with Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi and Minister for Information Technology Ameenul Haq, the minister 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. Responding to teh claim of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari that the province was funding Rs800 billion of the total Rs1,100 billion, Asad Umar refuted this claims. Asad Umer said the federal government has always been ready to work with Sindh government for development of the province, including Karachi. He said there is a need to work together for development of Karachi beyond politics. 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. He warned the PPP-led Sindh government that the Centre won’t silent if anyone distorts facts and engages in political point-scoring.