Chairman of the Privatization Commission and Senator Dr. Afnan Ullah Khan said Karachi’s development is essential to achieving Pakistan’s economic ambitions, stressing that the city’s infrastructure and industrial challenges require greater federal attention.

Speaking at the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), he said Karachi possesses immense economic potential and contributes significantly to national revenue. He pledged to raise key issues, including electricity and water shortages, at the federal level and said work on the ML-1 railway project is expected to begin soon after achieving financial closure.

The senator also said the government had successfully completed the privatisation of PIA through a transparent process and was pursuing reforms in the power sector, particularly in loss-making distribution companies.

KATI President Sheikh Umer Rehan urged federal ministers to regularly visit Karachi and engage with industry stakeholders, noting that high energy costs were undermining the competitiveness of Pakistani exports.

Deputy Patron-in-Chief Zubair Chhaya said Karachi contributes substantially to the national economy despite infrastructure and governance challenges, and called for greater federal focus on the city’s development and transport infrastructure, particularly railway freight services.