By Aziz Khatri
KARACHI: A high-level meeting between Sindh chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and a delegation led by Asian Development Bank country director Emma Fan agreed in principle on financial assistance for the revival of the Karachi Circular Railway, describing it as the province’s flagship and most urgent transport project.
The chief minister said Karachi, as a megacity, urgently needed the circular railway to resolve its transport crisis, reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions, and stimulate economic growth. He added that the project was not merely a transport scheme but the city’s lifeline and that the provincial government wanted to restore it through modern infrastructure and integrated urban planning with technical and financial support from the bank.
The meeting, held at the Chief Minister House Karachi, also reviewed progress on the Karachi BRT Red Line, for which the ADB is already extending support. Officials discussed the need for feeder services for various BRT corridors and emphasised timely completion, transparency and quality in all ongoing projects.
Both sides also discussed the introduction of electric bus services under a sustainable mobility programme in four major cities of Sindh. Shah said the government was committed to clean and green transport to improve urban mobility, cut fuel dependence and address climate challenges, adding that affordable and safe travel for millions of citizens remained the core objective.
The ADB asked the provincial government to submit the required documents for board approval of KCR financing and agreed that the electric bus project would soon be formally presented to the bank.
The session reviewed the bank’s ongoing and proposed portfolio for 2026–2029, which includes nearly $3bn in development initiatives covering transport, urban development, health, secondary education, water, rural development and environmental resilience, along with rural WASH programmes, coastal resilience and public-private partnerships.
Murad Ali Shah said that after the 2022 floods the government was focused on rebuilding in a more climate-resilient manner and directed officials to speed up preparatory work so priority projects could be included in the 2026–2028 cycle. Both sides agreed to strengthen institutional capacity, improve project readiness and avoid delays and cost overruns.
Emma Fan praised Sindh’s reform agenda and reiterated the ADB’s commitment to sustainable transport, urban services, education and inclusive development in the province.
The meeting was attended by the chief secretary, Najam Shah, and senior officials, while the ADB delegation included country operations head Nissanka Salgado, programme officer Salman Mian and other representatives.
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