A. BIG CITY ACHIEVEMENTS

In view of the lack of development and the near break down of social services and infrastructure in major cities in Pakistan in 1995, the Peoples Government launched a big city renewal programme. In the first phase the Rs.121 billion Karachi package was launched.

In 1996 as part of the second phase of the Peoples Government Big Cities Packages, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, approved a massive package of Rs.28 billion million for development of the following five big cities: 

• Lahore

• Rawalpindi

• Gujranwala

• Faisalabad

• Multan

The work under these packages includes:

• drainage;

• sewerage;

• water supply;

• construction and improvement of transit systems, roads & bridges, under passes, flyovers and by-passes;

• construction and modernization of educational and health facilities;

• provision of health equipment for hospitals;

• improvement and rehabilitation of distribution system of WAPDA/KESC;.

• construction and renovation of railway stations;

• expansion and development of gas network by SNGPL/SSGC;

• traffic management system;

• tree plantation;

• expansion of telecom network;

• low income housing schemes.

Implementation of these packages was ongoing when the Peoples Government was dismissed. There was visible evidence of the positive effect of these packages on the targeted cities.

B. BIG CITY AGENDA 1997-2002

The Peoples Government promises to fully implement the Big City Packages in full and by 1998, introduce similar packages for Hyderabad, Sukkur, Gujrat, Sarghoda, Sahiwal, Rahimyar Khan, Bahawalpur, Peshawar and Quetta.