Shahrah-e-Bhutto: CM Murad inaugurates Malir Expressway's Quaidabad section

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah inaugurated the Shah Faisal to Quaidabad segment of the Malir Expressway (Shahrah-e-Bhutto) on Saturday.

Accompanied by senior ministers Sharjel Inam Memon, Minister of Planning and Development Nasir Shah, and Senator Waqar Mahdi, the Chief Minister inspected the expressway and paid the toll tax. 

The Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Expressway project spans 38.661 km, featuring six lanes and a design speed of 100 km/h. It connects DHA and Korangi to the M-9 Motorway near Kathore and includes six interchanges and 12 toll plazas.

The inauguration event drew significant attendance from PPP members and the public, with participants chanting slogans in praise of Bhutto and the Chief Minister. Syed Murad Ali Shah reiterated that the expressway is a vital gift from the PPP government to the people of Karachi, which will improve transportation, stimulate economic growth, and facilitate industrial links. He also directed that the section from Kathore to Quaidabad be completed promptly. This project is the largest public-private partnership initiative in Sindh.

The Chief Minister noted that the starting point of Shahrah-e-Bhutto is located 200 meters before the Jam Sadiq Interchange. To enhance connectivity from DHA and Korangi, either a permanent interchange or a roundabout is being constructed at the existing Korangi Causeway to facilitate traffic from all directions, including Korangi, DHA, and Shahrah-e-Faisal (KPT Interchange).

Emphasising the importance of infrastructure development for progress, Murad Ali Shah stated that the focus is on making urban and industrial connections faster and safer. Although there have been some delays due to utility shifting and local issues, he assured that work is ongoing, with expected completion dates for the remaining sections by December 2025.

This inauguration follows the opening of the first phase of the first segment by PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto on January 11, 2025, which covered the Shah Faisal to Quaidabad stretch. The government intends to prioritise further upgrades to Karachi’s transport infrastructure, including the introduction of electric buses and the expansion of BRT lines in the city.

Mr Shah added that the final phase from Quaidabad to Kathore is expected to be opened by the end of December 2025, and he plans to request an appointment with Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari after the anniversary of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's death.

Future Plan: Addressing future plans, the provincial government aims to establish a link road from the port to Qayyumabad, with strong backing from the Karachi business community. “Some people are beginning to recognise the efforts of the PPP,” he stated. “To those who still question our work, I say the people of Sindh are fully aware.”

Inauguration Ceremony: Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah strongly criticised the federal government, accusing it of discriminating against Sindh and treating the province like a colony. “The federal government has wronged us. They have dissolved the Public Works Department (PWD), which was responsible for overseeing development projects across provinces,” he stated.

He alleged that while the other three provinces received development projects accompanied by their budgets, Sindh was completely overlooked. “They want to manage Sindh’s projects from Islamabad through a newly formed company. I have made it clear that this will not work,” he asserted.

The Chief Minister warned that if all development projects are not transferred to Sindh government, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) would not support the federal budget in Parliament. “You cannot run Sindh like a colony,” he stated, adding that the federal government’s decision seemed influenced by specific vested interests. “It appears this move has been motivated by land grabbers, the so-called ‘China-cutting mafia’,” he remarked.

Mr Shah urged the federal government to stop treating Sindh like a stepchild. “If you continue this stepmotherly treatment, we know how to claim our rights,” he warned.

Responding to recent rumours regarding Shahrah-e-Bhutto, the Chief Minister expressed concern over what he termed baseless propaganda. “Someone came with a pistol, claiming that dacoits were hiding there. Such misleading stories should not be circulated,” he urged.