Jam Sadiq Bridge Expected to Complete 8 Months Ahead of Schedule, Sharjeel Memon
Web Desk
KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Information and Transport, Sharjeel Inam Memon, announced efforts to complete the Jam Sadiq Bridge eight months earlier than its scheduled completion in December 2025. Speaking at a luncheon hosted by the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI).
KATI President Junaid Naqi, Deputy Patron-in-Chief Zubair Chhaya, CEO of KITE Limited Zahid Saeed, Senior Vice President Ijaz Ahmed Sheikh, Vice President Syed Tariq Hussain, Former Chairmen and Presidents Danish Khan, Ehteshamuddin, Sheikh Fazal-e-Jalil and other members and a large number of media were present at the ceremony.
Memon highlighted significant development projects in Karachi. He revealed that the Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, would inaugurate the Malir Expressway in two days, while electric taxis would soon be introduced in the city.
The minister praised Korangi Industrial Area’s substantial contribution in exports and assured industrialists that KATI’s representation and suggestions in the Yellow Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project meetings would be implemented. He emphasized the Sindh government’s awareness of the need for new economic and industrial zones in Karachi, stating that industrialization is vital for reducing unemployment and improving the economy.
Memon further noted that the PPP leadership, including President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, are fully supportive of industrialization. He pledged to personally request the allocation of land for new industrial zones. He informed attendees that the PPP government had initiated Phase 3 of the Nooriabad Industrial Zone and is actively working on new zones, including the Dhabeji Economic Zone. Highlighting Dhabeji’s strategic importance as a CPEC-linked zone, Memon urged industrialists to invest in it, as it offers duty exemptions on machinery imports and a 10-year tax holiday.
He also announced plans to introduce double-decker buses in Karachi by the end of the year and emphasized Pakistan’s pioneering role in launching pink buses exclusively for women, which even some developed countries lack. Memon praised Karachi’s transport advancements, including the introduction of electric buses and the Yellow Line project, describing them as gifts to the city’s residents.
The minister called attention to the importance of resolving issues related to the infrastructure cess duty. He stated that the Sindh High Court had ruled in favor of the Sindh government, but PKR 190 billion remained unpaid. He urged the business community to withdraw pending cases so that funds could be used to improve infrastructure. He added that inflation has doubled the cost of road construction, meaning delays would lead to reduced project outputs.
KATI President Junaid Naqi appreciated the Sindh government’s transport initiatives, including electric buses and the Malir Expressway, but highlighted urgent concerns in Korangi. He called for immediate upgrades to the EBM Causeway, which was not designed for heavy vehicles. Without these upgrades, he warned, Korangi’s traffic problems could worsen. Naqi also urged a ban on outdated vehicles that fail fitness standards, citing their role in pollution and traffic congestion.
Deputy Patron-in-Chief Zubair Chhaya discussed critical issues, including Karachi’s lack of adequate electricity, gas, water, sewage systems, and public transport infrastructure. He praised improvements in law and order but stressed the need to address rising street crimes. Chhaya pointed out that sewage problems were particularly severe in industrial areas and suggested constructing a flyover on the congested 2.9-kilometer stretch from Quaidabad to Manzil Pump to alleviate traffic pressure.
Chhaya expressed disappointment over KATI being excluded from recent Yellow Line Project meetings, despite being a key stakeholder. He argued that the city’s pollution problem is often unfairly blamed on industries, which contribute only 20% of emissions, while 80% comes from outdated vehicles and poor transport systems. He called for a complete ban on smoke-emitting vehicles.
Furthermore, Chhaya highlighted the challenges faced by industrialists due to jurisdictional disputes between municipal authorities. Industrialists are often penalized when allocating green belts or parking spaces outside their units under federal laws, as local municipal bodies claim land utilization rights. He urged both federal and provincial governments to ensure fair treatment of Karachi, which he said had been consistently overlooked.
Zahid Saeed, CEO of KITE Limited, stressed the need for road repairs and better infrastructure in Karachi. He noted that while other cities have designated transport systems for industrial areas, Karachi relies on public transport for industrial commutes. He shared that KITE had received a PKR 1.05 billion grant from the Sindh government, which was used to deliver international-standard projects worth PKR 1.35 billion. Saeed praised Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah for supporting industrial development but expressed concern over delays in approving additional grants.
Saeed appealed to Sharjeel Memon to assist in securing further grants for industrial infrastructure and assured the business community that the minister would provide his full support.
