Karachi, The Sindh Government, led by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, has committed PKR 14.7 billion as its 20% share towards the K-IV Augmentation project, aiming to enhance Karachi's water supply infrastructure with a total project value of PKR 72 billion.

According to Zameen.Com, Chief Minister Shah reviewed the project's progress and directed the Planning and Development (P and D) Minister Nasir Shah to accelerate the process by securing pending approvals from various federal and provincial agencies. Currently, numerous no-objection certificates (NOCs) are awaited from 12 different entities, which has slowed the project's momentum. The Chief Minister also emphasized the need for urgent action from the local government and Water Board to obtain these approvals.

In addition, some critical approvals are still pending from the Planning Commission. CM Shah has vowed to personally engage with Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal to hasten these processes. The Planning and Development Department has been instructed to begin hiring consultants for the project's augmentation component in anticipation of approval by the Planning Commission.

In related news, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has launched a substantial 'Kisan Loan Program', providing interest-free loans to 500,000 farmers across Punjab, totaling PKR 150 billion. This initiative aims to support the agricultural sector by offering financial aid through the newly introduced Kisan Loan Card.