Karachi Provincial Government Will Start the Bus Service

KARACHI: Transport Minister Akhtar Hussain Jadoon criticised the performance of the CDGK transport department and said that his department would add public buses to Sindh with 500 in the first go.

Addressing a press conference at his office Thursday evening, he said that the Sindh government is holding talks with foreign companies. He lambasted the CDGK for what he said were its faulty policies. In the past it had introduced 70 ‘Green Buses’, which “vanished” from Karachi’s roads within a few months. He said that now the CDGK is claiming to introduce 4,000 more CNG buses in Karachi.

He questioned the performance of the CDGK.Jadoon said that the CDGK was interfering in the affairs of the provincial transport department. He said that the federal government provided funds to the transport department via the Sindh government and that now the provincial transport department will use this money itself.

He regretted that the CDGK was not allowing the newly posted EDO Transport to take charge, despite the transfer of the previous EDO Transport. The previous EDO is presently on a foreign visit on government expense. He claimed that Rs 9.36 billion belonging to the department had been spent on such foreign visits and that the government will order a probe into this waste of precious state funds.

Jadoon harshly criticized the performance of traffic police and accused them of taking bribes and extortion from transporters. Fake vehicle fitness certificates were being issued on the basis of bribery and extortion. Some transporters, in connivance with corrupt elements in the traffic police and CDGK, had occupied bus terminals and other properties of the transport department that will be vacated at all costs.

He said that on the special instructions of PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, the provincial government will foot the expenses of converting 70,000 two-stroke rickshaws to four-stroke rickshaws. CNG engines will be provided to public transport buses running on diesel as well.

The provincial transport department wants to provide facilities to commuters, but certain elements create hurdles in its way. He said that his ministry is contacting the Sindh chief minister and higher leadership of the PPP to take action against these elements.