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WEEKLY
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education, health sectors: Fakan; US diplomats meet Qaim, provincial ministers, district officials;visit Bhuttos’ mausoleum, Shah Latif varsity
Thursday, November 19, 2009
By Imtiaz Hussain
KHAIRPUR: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah met US Consul General Stephen Fakan at the Circuit House here on Monday and discussed matters of mutual concern.
Qaim was accompanied by provincial ministers Zulfiqar Mirza, Ali Nawaz Shah, MNA Nafisa Shah Jillani and MPA Syed Bachal Shah.
Later, Nafisa Shah briefed reporters about the meeting. She said the US consul general was visiting Sindh and Balochistan to know the concerns of the people of both the provinces.
She said during the meeting, Sindh’s elected representatives emphasised upon the US diplomats to respect the will of the people and democracy.
Fakan said that the Kerry-Lugar Law was aimed at providing assistance to the people of Pakistan and the funds should be utilised for the welfare of and development of the people. According to Nafisa Shah, the US consul general expressed the desire to provide financial assistance to Sindh in education and health sectors. The main purpose of his visit was to develop linkages between the people and the US, the MNA said. An official press release said that Fakan told Qaim and others that the people of Pakistan supported democracy. However, it is up to them to decide which type of democracy they want. This should not be decided by America or any other foreign country and the US or any other country should not impose any decision in this regard, said the US diplomat. He said the US was aware of the concerns of the Pakistanis over the Kerry-Lugar legislation, adding the US wanted to see democracy flourish in Pakistan.
Earlier, Qaim briefed the US diplomat of the law and order situation and development activities in the province. Qaim said the law and order situation in Sindh was much better as compared to other provinces.
He said the Sindh government had chalked out a comprehensive strategy to eradicate poverty from the province. He particularly mentioned the Benazir Shaheed Income Support Programme in this regard. The chief minister told him that the Sindh government was providing lands to women in order to empower them.
Meanwhile, the US consul general visited the Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, where he planted a sapling and assured the vice chancellor that the US would support the university in academic and research programmes and provide scholarships to teachers in research and other fields. He also visited the tomb of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh. He later met different delegations of the people of Larkana.
Sindh Law Minister Ayaz Soomro welcomed the American diplomats in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh.
He presented them traditional Sindhi caps and Ajraks. Ayaz hosted a luncheon in the honour of the visiting diplomats at the Circuit House.
Also, Fakan, along with Economic Officer Mary Elizabeth and Foreign Service Officer Dawn M Schrepel, held a meeting with the officers of the district administration at the Circuit House here on Wednesday.
DCO Larkana Muhammad Jaffar Abbasi briefed the American diplomats on education, health and agriculture in the Larkana district.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
