Bilawal Inaugurates Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Expressway, Criticizes Federal Govt for Neglecting Sindh

By DTD- On Jan 11, 2025

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari inaugurated the first phase of the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Expressway in Karachi on Saturday, emphasizing the PPP’s longstanding commitment to the city’s development. Reflecting on the legacy of his grandfather, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and his mother, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, Bilawal highlighted their transformative contributions to Karachi, including major projects like Shahrah-e-Faisal and the Steel Mills. He also praised President Asif Zardari for allocating significant resources to the city.

During his speech, Bilawal emphasized the importance of the expressway project in alleviating Karachi’s traffic congestion. He noted that the project, built through a public-private partnership model, will connect Karachi with other parts of the country and improve infrastructure. He also personally paid Rs100 at the toll plaza, suggesting that toll fees should remain affordable for the public.

Bilawal acknowledged the challenges posed by Karachi’s growing population, which places immense pressure on the city’s water, utilities, and infrastructure. He advocated for addressing these issues through the public-private partnership model, which, according to him, has garnered global recognition. He also lauded the Sindh government for implementing such projects in various sectors, including health, education, and green energy.

However, Bilawal criticized the federal government for allegedly neglecting Sindh, claiming that the province is treated as a “stepchild” and deprived of resources on various pretexts. He emphasized the need for collaboration between the Sindh government, the private sector, and the people to tackle Karachi’s challenges and ensure the city’s continued progress. Bilawal reiterated PPP’s commitment to inclusive governance, rejecting extremism and revenge politics in favor of collective development.