By Aziz Khatri
KARACHI: The mayor of Karachi, Murtaza Wahab, has announced that the long-troubled Jahangir Road will be rebuilt within two months, following repeated complaints from residents about its poor condition.
Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, Wahab also addressed delays in other major infrastructure projects across the city. He said problems affecting the University Road project would be resolved by July, while work on the long-delayed Karimabad underpass would be completed soon.
“We apologize to the citizens for what has happened so far,” the mayor said. “As a nation, we cannot move forward unless we accept our mistakes.” Wahab said the Munawar Chowrangi underpass would be completed in June and announced that Rs46bn would be spent on development works across the city. He added that new parks, urban forests and graveyards would be established, with land for graveyards to be provided by the chief minister.
Criticizing what he described as negative propaganda, the mayor said those spreading it were harming Karachi itself, not any individual or political group. He also said the city administration had persuaded the government to support a partnership between the Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases and the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, but claimed the initiative stalled due to opposition from vested interests.
