KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that after restoration of law and order situation, international events have started taking place in the city and foreign investment is also pouring in.
This he said while talking to Ambassador Alice Well, Senior Bureau Official at Department of State’s Bureau of South and Central Affairs, USA. Other personalities in the meeting were acting Consul General of USA John Warner, acting deputy consul general in Karachi Adam Zerbinopoulos, Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem and Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput and others.
The chief minister said that the law and order situation in the city was bad from last many years, which was further augmented with terrorist activities. “The government worked out a detailed plan and with the political will and support of the people of Karachi, the city has been cleansed of terrorists, mafias and outlaws through a vigorous targeted operation,” he said.
Shah said that now the glories of the city were returning. “International cricket has returned and before it, major events like sermons of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, and visit of Prince Aga Karim had also taken place peacefully,” he said.
The chief minister and the visiting diplomat had agreed to work together in non-formal education. The Sindh Education Foundation is regulating non-formal education and trying to reach the areas where proper schools do not exist. The chief minister said that he has given special focus to the development infrastructure from Karachi to Kashmore and Tharparkar. Special attention has been given to education and health sector. The schools built by USAID are being launched as English medium schools.
The chief minister said that water supply lines had been laid in 200 villages of Tharparkar, particularly those located in the far-flung areas and very soon, they would be supplied water. “We have also installed RO plants there, which are functioning and providing water but some of them have capacity issues,” he said. The American diplomat said that they also wanted to support the Sindh government in provision of clean water to its people.
The chief minister said that there were huge wind and solar energy corridors in Sindh from where energy is being produced but there were still ample investment opportunities. The chief minister said that the Jacobabad Institute of Medical Sciences (JIMS) is a very good gift of Americans to the people of Sindh. “We are further improving it with best doctors, technical staff and services,” the chief minister said.
The chief minister said that his government was also putting its best efforts to provide clean water to the people of Sindh. There is dire need of some desalination plants in Karachi and his government was working on a plan to install such plants so that drinking water issues could be solved.
The visiting guest congratulated the chief minister on holding PSL final match and now Pakistan-West Indies Cricket series is taking place. This is the manifestation of the government’s commitment to make this megalopolis as a seat of prosperity, entertainment and learning.
The chief minister presented traditional gifts of Ajrak, khes and Sindhi cap to the visiting guests.