Karachi, The Sindh government, led by Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (Retd) Maqbool Baqar, is set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Federal Ministry of Housing and Works. This agreement aims to kickstart the Urban Rebuilding Plan, which includes the construction of high-rise buildings on vacant plots in various old quarters of Karachi.
According to Chief Minister Sindh, the decision to sign the MOU emerged during a meeting between the Chief Minister and the Federal Ministry of Housing and Works. The meeting, conducted via video link, included Federal Secretary of Housing and Works Dr. Shahzad Bangash and his team from Islamabad, along with Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, Chairman PandD Shakil Mangnejo, Secretary Local Government Manzoor Shaikh, DG PandD Asad Zamin, and other officials.
Chief Minister Justice Baqar outlined the urban rejuvenation plan, which focuses on redeveloping areas in Matrin, Clayton, Jahangir Quarters, and Pakistan Quarters. These quarters, established over a 240-acre area at the junction of District East and District Central, have deteriorated significantly since the capital’s relocation in 1959. The CM noted that these quarters had not received proper maintenance from the federal government, leading to their current dilapidated condition.
The meeting highlighted issues such as federal employees not vacating official accommodations upon retirement, resulting in their families and others encroaching upon the surrounding open spaces. The urban rejuvenation project aims to not only improve housing conditions but also enhance infrastructure, public services, and stimulate economic activity in the areas, creating new job and economic opportunities.
The Federal Secretary for Housing presented a similar plan, and it was mutually agreed that an MOU between the Sindh and federal governments would facilitate the project’s progress. The Chief Minister directed his team to prepare a draft of the MOU and share it with the federal government, with the intention of signing it within the next two weeks.