MQM-P delegation calls on PM Shehbaz ahead of budget; party leader says Rs20bn allocation sought for Karachi projects

KARACHI: A delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Friday and discussed the budget for FY2026-27 and development projects for Sindh were discussed, according to the PM’s Office and MQM-P leader Aminul Haque.

Haque told Dawn that the matter of a “special development package” for Sindh’s urban areas was raised during the meeting and that his party sought an allocation of Rs20 billion for projects for Karachi and another Rs5bn allocation for Hyderabad in the budget.

He said that PM Shehbaz had assured the delegation that “sufficient” allocations had been made in the budget for Karachi and Hyderabad.

The prime minister also “promised the release of the required funds” for the Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply Scheme or K-IV project, Haque said.

“He told us that the government is taking all-out measures to complete the project by December 2026,” he said.

Moreover, he said, the MQM-P delegation also raised the issue of the M-9 Motorway, which connects Karachi and Hyderabad. “The prime minister said that M-9 should be considered an expressway or highway, and not a motorway.”

Haque said the premier was urged to ensure that Sindh “gets a proper motorway connecting Karachi and Hyderabad”.

He said Main Line-1 (ML-1) — a railway project, a section of which connects Karachi to Rohri — was also discussed during the meeting. Haque said the MQM-P was of the view that it was the federal government’s flagship project and work on its Karachi-Rohri section should be initiated in the fiscal year 2026-27.

More to follow ...