KARACHI – Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday inaugurated the newly completed Shahrah-e-Bhutto mega project in Karachi, while simultaneously announcing three ambitious new initiatives designed to drive sustainable economic development across the nation.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the PPP chairman unveiled plans for Pakistan’s first modern seaport at Keti Bandar under a public-private partnership model, the establishment of the Sindh International Financial Center, and a dedicated defense production zone in to serve both domestic requirements and export markets.
Shahrah-e-Bhutto: A Fulfilled Promise
The 39-kilometer-long signal-free corridor stretching from Qayyumabad to the M-9 Motorway represents what Bilawal described as the fulfillment of a dream of his mother, former Prime Minister Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, who had originally announced the Karachi Special Package including the Lyari Expressway and Malir Expressway projects.
“Today is a proud day for the PPP, for every Jiyala of the party, and for me personally as the son of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, that we have fulfilled this dream by completing the Shahrah-e-Bhutto,” said.
The project was completed under the public-private partnership model, a concept Bilawal noted was first introduced in Pakistan by Benazir Bhutto herself. He emphasized that instead of burdening the public exchequer, the Sindh government would form consortiums with the business community to successfully complete major development projects.
Karachi’s Development Legacy
Bilawal asserted that whenever Karachi has witnessed development, it has been under PPP governments. He cited major historical projects including Pakistan Steel Mills, Port Qasim, Shahrah-e-Faisal, and the Lyari Expressway as landmark initiatives delivered by PPP administrations.
“The number of projects completed from 2008 until today has no precedent in Karachi’s history. If you compare development work carried out between 1947 and 2008 with what has been achieved during the era, the difference is evident,” he.
He declared Karachi as Pakistan’s most rapidly developing city, attracting people from across the country, and described it as both the commercial capital and healthcare capital of Pakistan, pointing to the transformation of the Sindh Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases under provincial jurisdiction following the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
Three New Mega Initiatives
Bilawal announced that new public-private partnership projects are being launched across Sindh, beginning with Pakistan’s first modern seaport at Keti Bandar in district Thatta. He described this as another dream project of Benazir Bhutto that would transform the destiny of coastal districts including Thatta, Sujawal, and Badin.
To establish Karachi as a leading economic hub, he announced the establishment of the “Sindh International Financial Center,” modeled after the Dubai Financial Center. “I promise that we will establish the Sindh International Financial Center,” he declared.
Additionally, he announced plans to expand Karachi’s role in Pakistan’s defense production, noting that following last year’s conflict with India, Pakistan’s defense capabilities received global recognition. “Today, it is not ‘Made in India’ but rather ‘Made in Pakistan’ that is in demand in the global market,” he remarked.
Economic Hardships and Peace Efforts
Acknowledging the economic challenges facing the nation, Bilawal warned that the situation arising from the Iran war imposed economic burdens on the people of Pakistan, affecting them as it has people across the world. He cautioned that if the war situation does not end, economic difficulties would increase furtherp>
He expressed appreciation for ongoing peace efforts led by Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and the federal team. “We thank them because we, the people of Pakistan, are peace-loving people. Historically, we have stood against war, and the PPP has also always opposed war,” he said.
Bilawal highlighted relief measures introduced by the Sindh despite limited resources, including the Kisan Card and the Peoples Motorcycle Fuel Subsidy Program, with similar initiatives for fishermen in development.
Political Challenges and Vision
In sharp criticism of political opponents, Bilawal described them as “political orphans” who offer nothing but baseless criticism against the PPP. He urged party workers not to pay attention to such criticism and conspiracies. “Whether the conspiracy is against this city, this province, or Pakistan itself, I will defeat it,” he vowed.
He defended Sindh’s local government system, pointing out that neither Islamabad nor Punjab currently has a functioning local government system, while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Imran Khan abolished the system after losing elections. “Yet despite the absence of local governments there, nobody says Lahore should be separated or made independent,” he added.Bilawal emphasized that despite political differences, the PPP invites everyone to work together for the country and its people, because this is not the time for internal conflict or the creation of further crises.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, provincial ministers, assembly members, and prominent business and social personalities.
