Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, while chairing a key meeting on financial resource mobilisation on Friday, reached a consensus with prominent industrialists to collaborate on development projects for Karachi and the province through public-private partnerships (PPP).
The meeting was attended by leading business figures including MNA Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Aqeel Karim Dhedhi, Arif Habib, Zubair Motiwala, among others at the CM House. Senior government officials present included Principal Secretary Agha Wasif, Special Assistant to CM on Industries Qasim Naveed, Chairman P and D Board Najam Shah, Finance Secretary Fayaz Jatoi, and Industries Secretary Yaseen Shar.
Welcoming the participants, the Chief Minister praised the industrialists for their willingness to engage and emphasised the government’s interest in working jointly with the private sector to accelerate Karachi’s infrastructure development.
Aqeel Karim Dhedhi encouraged the government to outline specific projects suitable for private sector investment. In response, CM Murad Ali Shah directed Qasim Naveed to coordinate directly with the business community and engage in project-specific discussions.
Among the initiatives discussed, the Shahrah-e-Bhutto development and the Wastewater Treatment project drew strong interest from industrialists. Shahrah-e-Bhutto was termed a critical urban corridor with potential to transform traffic flow and urban accessibility. The participants also agreed on undertaking a plantation drive along the corridor to enhance environmental sustainability.
Plans were also discussed to register several upcoming development projects on the Stock Exchange to facilitate transparent investment and funding mobilization. In a bid to address congestion, consensus was reached on constructing a direct exit route for heavy traffic from the Karachi port. Other infrastructure projects to manage freight and commercial traffic were also considered.
Chief Minister Shah underscored the importance of industrialists’ involvement in improving the city’s functionality and visual appeal, noting that collaborative efforts are essential to shaping a livable and modern Karachi.