KARACHI - Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif Saturday said he would turn Karachi into another Lahore if voted to power after the upcoming polls.

Addressing a press conference at the Governor House along with other PML-N leaders and federal ministers, Shehbaz Sharif called for constitution of a national commission having representation of the federal government and the four provinces to decide which new provinces could be formed in the country. After consensus by the commission, the issue could be taken to the parliament for approval, he said.

Shehbaz claimed it was the PML-N that passed resolution for the formation of new provinces in the country in 2012. He, however, said the process should be carried out with consulations of all stakeholders.

He urged all stakeholders to work together in the greater interest of the country, shunning their differences, in view of the current situation of the country.

“We are ready to work with MQM-P and other political parties in order to revive the glory of the city of lights,” he said. Shehbaz said the federal government gifted the green line project to Karachi, but the provincial government did not meet its commitments.

He said they were ready to support anyone who comes to power in Karachi as they wanted to resolve the issue of the city with the support of Urdu-speaking community and others.

He vowed to resolve the issue of water in Karachi on war-footing basis, terming it the basic right of the citizens. “We have provided all promised amount for the K-IV bulk water supply project, but the project has yet to be completed,” he said.

Shehbaz held separate meetings with different political leaders of the city, including MQM-Pakistan leader Farooq Sattar, Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhter who was also representing MQM-P Bahadurabad faction, former senator and MQM-P leader Maulana Tanveer-ul-Haq Thanvi and ANP leader Shahi Syed.

Informing the Punjab chief minister of the civic issues faced by Karachiites, Waseem Akhter said he did not have powers and funds which he should have as the mayor to improve the city infrastructure.

He briefed the chief minister on the miserable conditions of hospitals, garbage lifting and transport system in the city.

After meeting with the Punjab chief minister, Shahi Syed gave credit of peace in Karachi to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and former army chief General Raheel Sharif.

MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar conveyed his reservations to Shehbaz Sharif about unmet promises of PML-N and asked him to play his role in providing space to his party in the political sphere in Karachi.

Talking to media persons after the meeting, Sattar said they had informed the chief minister that many of their party leaders were forced to join other parties while the party was deprived of playing its due role in the politics of Karachi despite being the main representative of the urban centre of the province.

Sattar said the PML-N president had assured him of resolving the issues of the city, including loadshedding, revival of Steel Mills and the employees expelled from Karachi Port Trust. The MQM-P delegation consisted of Kamran Tessori, Abdul Waseem and MPA Waqar Shah.

Talking to a delegation of PML-N local bodies’ representatives and leaders of different wings of the party, Shehbaz Sharif said Nawaz Sharif was a great leader and there was no substitute for him.

“No one could end the popularity of Nawaz Sharif and he was, is and will remain the leader of the party,” he said. He further told the party leaders that PML-N would revive the glory of the city, but all the party leaders would have to work together for this cause. “We will change the situation in Sindh, including Karachi,” he said, adding they would launch a metro bus project in the city and rid the province of corruption, leading it to the path of progress and prosperity.