Impossible to develop cities from provinces' funds: PM Imran

KARACHI: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday said that it was impossible to develop cities from the funds that were provided to provinces. 

The prime minister was addressing an event in Karachi via video link from Islamabad. PM Imran was scheduled to visit Karachi today, but he had to call it off due to bad weather. 

"Karachi's development means Pakistan progresses," said the prime minister. "I would like to ask Imran Ismail to inform people about the development projects that we will initiate for Sindh in general and Karachi in particular," he added. 

PM Imran said that it was impossible to improve the system in cities from the provinces' funds. "Half of Punjab's budget was spent on Lahore previously due to which other cities of the province suffered," he said. 

The prime minister said that cities around the world were empowered to collect revenues on their own and then start development projects. He cited examples of cities such as New York, London and even Mumbai, where cities were run by their own elected governments.

He said that Karachi was the centre of economic activity in the country and that its development meant people got employment opportunities. PM Imran said that the PTI government had brought about reforms in Punjab Police and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police. 

"In Sindh, the police are not performing which is why there are Rangers in the province," he said. He said that the government was trying to ensure that there was no interference in police matters. 

The prime minister apologised to attendees that he couldn't make it to the event.