Karachi: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday expressed the resolve to start work on the restoration of the Keti Bandar project.
Speaking to Natalie Ashton Baker, Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) at the US Embassy in Islamabad, who called on him in Karachi, the chief minister said that the Keti Bandar had historically been a natural port.
“This project was the brainchild of the former prime minister, late Benazir Bhutto. And the provincial government wants to restore it,” he said, and added that right now there was a lot of pressure on the Karachi Port. “And we need a new one.”
Both also discussed the extension of the Shahrahe Bhutto to the Karachi Port.
CM Murad said that by connecting the road to the port, heavy traffic would not enter the city.
Speaking on the occasion, Natalie said that senior officials of the US companies would visit Pakistan soon because they wanted to invest in the country.
She further said that the US firms were also interested in investing in the education and job training of the deaf and dumb children.
The chief minister assured her that the provincial government would fully cooperate with the American investors.
Issues pertaining to energy and industry, the flood situation in the country and food security also came under discussion at the meeting.
The CM stressed the need for the proper utilization of the natural resources and taking steps for food security.
He told Natalie that although the Sindh government was expecting the ‘Super Flood’, still, the flood was less threatening.
He said that floods had caused widespread devastation in Punjab, which was very unfortunate.
The chief minister informed the US official that the flood had damaged the rice crop in the katcha area of the province.
Both also discussed the provision of $2.25 million in aid to Sindh by the United Nations and the NGOs for food, water and cleanliness.
Security issues also came under discussion at the meeting.
CM Murad acknowledged the role the US departments had played in the training of the law-enforcement agencies (LEAs) personnel in Sindh. “The US administration has provided our LEAs with protective equipment worth $20 million,” he said, and added similarly, a modern administrative system was introduced in 22 jails of the province and barracks were built for the women police personnel courtesy of the assistance extended by the USA.
He was all praise for the INL Programme under which the Sindh Police was being monetarily assisted since 2012.
The chief minister and the US official also discussed the steps taken by the provincial government against extremism.
