Sameer Nazir
KARACHI: The Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah has invited the countries of European Union to avail the opportunities of potential investment here in Sindh and assured that in addition to tax holiday, other attractive incentives and facilities would be provided them by the government of Sindh. This he observed while holding meeting with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium Mr. PETER CLAES, who called on him at CM House Karachi.
Talking on the occasion, the Chief Minister Sindh said that Karachi has great strategic importance and advantages in the international trade and commerce activities because of having seaport facility. Whereas on other side the Sindh province is rich with the natural resources, which include agriculture, livestock, dairy farming, mines & minerals, oil & gas, coal reserves, wind corridor and environment for solar energy as well. He said that here in this province the investors can enjoy the infrastructure and incentives facilities from the Sindh government and cheap labour force easily available in the market. . He said his govt has also established special economic zones for the local and foreign investment and added that we are ready to give vast space to the European Union in these zones. He said that after 18th amendment in the Constitution of Pakistan 1973, now the provinces can negotiate and enter into agreement with my country to do or further promote the Trade, commerce and investment activities. He said that in order to achieve this target, he himself and different delegations from Sindh Govt have attended investment conference at abroad and successfully achieved the investment from China, Turkey and other national and international trading organizations. He said that at present not only Sindh province but Pakistan as whole was experiencing hardships of energy crises. He said that Sindh Govt has planned Mega Energy Power Projects by utilizing its indigenous reserves like qualitative Thar Coal reserves and wind corridors at Distt Thatta and Jamshoro not only to overcome the energy crises of Sindh but of Pakistan as whole. He said that in addition to that Sindh province is blessed with the all natural seasons, efficient but best irrigation system to cultivate millions acres of Agricultural land to produce cotton, wheat , rice sugar cane , fruits and vegetables. He said that there are many popular verities of rice and fruits like mango which are popular in throughout world. He said that strategically Karachi is being considered as the gate way for the countries in south Asia and any trade, business and investment in Sindh Province would have good potential on one hand and it to strengthen bilateral relations with people and govt of Sindh on other hand. The Ambassador to Kingdom Belgium Mr. PETER CLAES while participating in the discussion said that, he want to promote trade and commerce activities here in this province that according to him can generate job opportunities facilities for infrastructure for the progress & prosperity of the people. He said that he to play his role of bridge between govt of Sindh and his kingdom and other countries of European Union. He said that better communication can yield better business and technical knowhow within the countries. The Principal Secretary to CM Rai Sikandar also present on the occasion.
Sameer Nazir
KARACHI: The Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah has took serious notice of bomb blast incidents occurred today on April 25 and yesterday on April 24 in the city and directed the Inspector General of Sindh Police and authorities of rangers to enquire into these incidents, indentify the criminals group and take drastic action against them.
He directed him to ensure extensive patrolling, checking of Vehicles on the roads and also to seal the entry points of the Karachi city. The Chief Minister Sindh condemned these terrorist attacks and said such coward attacks could not weaken the forces. He vowed that targeted operation against the terrorist would be continued with full force till the elimination of last terrorist in the province. He said that Sindh Police at present was more strong and equipped and it to be further strengthened well equipped and encouraged to fight terrorist with success. The Chief Minister directed the hospitals authorities and management of health departments to provide full medical facilities to the injured person.
Sameer Nazir
KARACHI: The Special Assistants to CM Waqar Mehdi , Rashid Rabbani, Co-ordinator Human Rights Ms Nadia Gabool, Political co-ordinator Mohd Siddique Abu Bhai and Additional Secretary(Admn) CM House Saeed Ahmed Shaikh today visited the Jinnah Hospital Karachi where they inquired about the health from the injured persons of Bomb Blast that occurred near Dehli Colony Karachi today. They also met with the Director Jinnah Hospital Dr. Semi Jamali and directed her to extend full medical treatment to each injured without delay. The asked the victims not to be worried about the unfortunate incident and assured them that Sindh Govt was with them.
Sameer Nazir
KARACHI: The Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah has convened Joint meeting of Planning & Development Department and Provincial Finance Department to discuss and deliberate the road map for preparation of Annual Development Budget (ADP) 2014-15. He directed the Administrations of all provincial departments to prepare and submit their new development schemes with due course of time, so that same can be examined and evaluated before including in new ADP 2014-15. The Chief Minister Sindh was presiding over the meeting of the officers of Planning and Development Department to discuss the strategy for preparing new ADP 2014-15 held at CM House Karachi today.
Addressing the meeting the Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah directed the officers to remain in close contact with each other and prepare integrated Development Plan for the upliftment that specially to ensure visible impact on the living standards of the common man. He said that PPP Government was giving top priority to the energy, education, health and irrigation sectors, where people need lot of facilities and directed officers to work out more beneficial projects / schemes in these sectors. The Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that people are suffering from the fatal disease of Hepatitis B & C, and cannot afford the costly treatment or liver transplantation for their survival. He asked the Development Planners to prepare the schemes for establishment of centres enabling to transplant liver, kidneys of ailing people, and provide complete treatment to the patients of Hepatitis B & C here at Sindh Province not only to save their lives but also to save their money and valuable belongings that they usually spent to get transplantation of organ at abroad.
He said that the consumption of brackish water in backward areas was the main reason behind the spread of Hepatitis B & C, and directed the officers also to include the more schemes for installation of R.O. plants, with solar energy Technology at the backward areas. Taking the notice of report that after devolution of the Health Department, the federal government has totally ignored and not financing the vertical health projects, the Chief Minister Sindh said that as per decision of CCI the federal government has suppose to finance these vertical health organizations upto 2015 and asked the officers to contact and coordinate and to regularize the funding of these health organizations which according to him were very important specially for the primary health care. Similarly education was important sector and more important was upgradation of its primary section. The CM Sindh observed He directed the officers to prepare and include such a scheme into new ADP that to ensure at least all missing facilities at each primary and middle schools and to attract the people for getting their children enrolled and discourage the drop out. The Chief Minister Sindh also directed the officers of P&D department to make its organisation more effective and activate its monitoring wing to check the quality and ensure development works completed within stipulated period. He directed the officers to report him about the inferior works if any so that drastic action be taken against responsible officer. The Additional Chief Secretary (Dev) Wasim Ahmed while briefing the meeting informed the Chief Minister about the comparative development study of past five years, and submitted some proposals, which would be discussed in the joint meeting.
The Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah has directed the management of Sindh Irrigation & Drainage Authority to improve their performances upto expectation of the growers and to ensure the maximum participation of the farmers in its operational system. This he directed while presiding over 42nd SIDA Board meeting held at CM House Karachi today. He directed for preparing to meet with expected heavy rains and flood, lining of distributaries, canals, stopping the cutting of trees from banks of canals and preparing contingency plan to meet with drought or flood like situation at the areas along with Thar Desert. The Chief Minister Sindh, who was also the Chairman of the Board, said that the purpose of the creation of SIDA was to bring the big improvement in irrigation system with the participation of the growers and to ensure efficient and judicious distribution of the irrigation water. He said that since Sindh was the Agriculture province and its more than 75% population depend on Agriculture, which must be strengthened and improved for the socio-economic development of the people and added that irrigation water was life line for both Agriculture and people of Sindh as well. He said that SIDA management must have to be on the toe, to ensure maximum participation of growers, more recovery and efficient distribution of irrigation water at the Tail end in the areas under their command. The Chief Minister Sindh also directed the MD SIDA always keep contingency plan for the areas fallen along with Thar Desert either in drought condition or flood season to meet the situation accordingly. He said that the purpose of SIDA would be achieved when, it to deliver better than Sindh Irrigation Department. He said that though it was autonomous body but Sindh govt was also providing financial aid for its survival in the interest of grower’s community. He directed the officers that foreign funded water sector improvement schemes being executed under water sector improvement programme (WSIP) Project must be implemented in letter and spirit. The Chief Minister Sindh while taking serious notice of cutting of trees from Canals embankment directed the officers to get this practice stopped with immediate effect. He also asked the MD SIDA and Secretary Irrigation to work out for lining of the Canals, distributaries and water courses to avoid the water losses. The Chief Minister Sindh said that predict for heavy rains and flood was there and warned the irrigation management to get them self prepared to combat the situation with success. The Secretary irrigation Babar Afandi, stressed on the need of proper co-ordination and consultation while implementing any scheme. He said that SIDA now has because old organizations as such it must be in self sustainable position but it has to work hard for the purpose. The MD SIDA Mr. Ahsan Leghari while briefing the meeting said that lot of development and water improvement works have been carried out since last 6 years. He said that as many as 100 million US Dollar have been utilized to construct fall structure, replace defective head regulators from old Jamrao, Kipro, Mithrao Canals. He said that though he has got the recovery of Abyane in creased upto 55% but still experiencing some difficulties but same will overcome it. He said that in order to introduce early warning system within his organization, he and his management was holding meetings with foreign funding agencies and expertise and hopefully it to be put in the place within a year. Chief Secretary Sindh Sajjad Saleem Hotiyana , ACS Development Waseem Ahmed and Secretary to CM Rai Sikandar were also present in the meeting