Chief Secretary Sindh Asif Hyder Shah met with a 40-member delegation from the Senior Management Course today.
The meeting included the Additional Chief Secretary Home Muhamamd Iqbal Memon, Chairman Planning Board Musadiq Ahmed Khan, IG Sindh Ghulam Nabi Memon, CEO SPHF Khalid zmehmood Shaikh, Secretary of School Education, and other key officials. While the delegation comprised officers from the Pakistan Administrative Service, Pakistan Customs, Police, and Revenue departments.
During the meeting, Shah informed the participants about various developmental projects of the Sindh government. He stated that for the current year, 959 billion rupees have been allocated for the developmental projects, marking a significant investment in the province’s development and prosperity. Chief Secretary Shah also mentioned that the Malir Expressway project is expected to be completed by 2025, which will enhance regional connectivity. The reconstruction of schools affected by the 2022 floods is currently underway, with an anticipated completion date of 2028.
He further stated that the rehabilitation project for homes affected by the 2022 rains and flood is ongoing. To date, 200,000 houses have been completed, while more than 430,000 houses have been constructed up to the plinth level.
The Chief Secretary highlighted that Sindh’s Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) have received international recognition. He noted that under the PPP framework, the Karachi-Thatta Dual Carriageway has been completed at a cost of 8.2 billion rupees, along with other projects such as the Hyderabad-Mirpur Khas Road, Jhirk Malakatiyar Bridge, and Sindh Nooriabad Power Company. Work is also progressing on projects like the “Malir Expressway, Ghotki-Kandhkot Bridge, Dhabeji Industrial Zone, and Marble City under the Public-Private Partnership model”. He added. The Chief Secretary praised the rapid progress of the BRT Red project in Karachi. He also mentioned that substantial funding has been allocated for improving the health sector in the 2024 fiscal year.
Under the Carbon Project, a plan has been initiated for the restoration of mangroves over an area of 350,000 hectares. Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah stated that the Sindh government has received 14.7 million dollars from carbon credits to date. It is expected that the government will receive 15 to 20 million dollars annually from carbon credits.
He further stated that various projects for the restoration of flood-affected infrastructure in Sindh are currently underway. A plan for road construction and rehabilitation has been established with a budget of 200 million US dollars. The Sindh government has also set aside 320 million US dollars for the rehabilitation of canals. The cost of the Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project is 530 million US dollars, which will be used for the restoration of roads and irrigation systems.
The meeting also included a briefing from the Sindh Police noted that there has been a reduction in crime rates this year compared to last year. There has been a significant decrease in street crime in Karachi. Last year, 93,467 cases were reported, while this year, 56,877 cases have been recorded.
Since January 2023, 84 daciots in the Katcha area have been killed, 146 others injured, and 542 arrested. The police have rescued over 800 individuals from honey traps. During their duties in Katcha, 31 police personnel have been martyred. To enhance police station autonomy, a budget of Rs4.8 billion has been allocated. The recruitment process for an additional 25,000 constables in the Sindh Police is ongoing.