ISLAMABAD, Mar 11 (APP):Federal Minister for Railway Shiekh Rasheed Ahmed Wednesday told the National Assembly that the government will not demolish any legal house in Karachi in the name of anti encroachment drive.
Responding to a question the minister said that 42 kilometer of Karachi Circular Railway land was illegally occupied and difficult to vacate as the people built their house on the land are not willing to relocate.
However both the federal and Sindh government in compliance of the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s direction taking measures to start Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), said the minister. He said apart from Karachi Circular Railway, another entity Karachi Urban Transport Company (KUTC) also exists with the 60 percent shares of the federal government and 40 percent shares of the Sindh government.
He said the federal government willing to give its 60 percent share to the Sindh Government to run the project on priority basis but the Supreme Court refused the proposal of the federal government with directions to functional KCR.
He said the Supreme Court of Pakistan has given 6 months time to the Sindh Government to construct under passes on 24 road crossing on the route of KCR.
Both the Federal and Sindh Government has resolved to complete Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project in the given time period but the reality is that the government has scarcity of financial resources, said the minster.
“We do not have money to pay pensions” said Sheikh Rasheed adding, despite the fact federal government with the support of the Sindh Government will complete the project as the ministry is ready to give its land to the Sindh government for the project.
