CM decides to upgrade tourist sites, improve breeds at cattle farms

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday discussed the Green Pakistan Initiative projects to be launched with public-private partnerships to develop tourism sites, promote safari desert, and develop agricultural and livestock farms.

Shah presided over a meeting of the Special Investment Facilitation Council at the CM House, where several proposals were discussed before decisions were made about them. The meeting discussed developing the Keenjhar Lake, the Haleji Lake, Hawks Bay and the Gorakh Hill Resorts as world-class tourist sites. The agreement between the Keenjhar Lake Sindh Tourism Development Corporation and the irrigation department for running the lake as a tourist spot was pending since 2006 and needed to be renewed so that further action could be initiated.

The CM issued directives to the irrigation and culture departments to execute their agreement. The meeting discussed a proposal to develop new tourism sites at Parchi Javeri and Nagarparkar. The CM directed Culture and Tourism Minister Zulfiqar Shah to study the proposal and file his recommendations.

The meeting was told that a 6km road from Karachi-Thatta to the Haleji Lake was dilapidated. The CM said the road must be reconstructed, for which he directed the works & services department to start the work.

The meeting agreed that desert safari may be incentivised by launching special trains, and offering different packages to attract visitors and participants. The CM sought proposals for improving desert safari activities.

A proposal also came under discussion for raising a tourism police force. The CM directed the culture & tourism department to submit its proposal for raising a separate police force, along with their assignment, including reporting to the CM for further necessary action.

The meeting discussed the proposal to graft the wild olives at the Gorakh Hill. The private party would plant and grow wild olives for oil extraction on a commercial basis.

The CM directed the agriculture and public-private partnership departments to suggest an agreement for private parties so that the project can be taken up. The meeting was told that the road to the Gorakh Hill Station is in a poor state due to the recent heavy rains. The CM directed the works & services department to repair/reconstruct the road.

It was pointed out that a proposal for the construction of an expressway from Karachi to Dadu is under consideration for connecting Balochistan, and various cities and towns of the province through intersections.

The CM said the Gorakh Hill Master Plan has been approved, and ordered releasing the allocated funds. On Planning & Development Minister Nasir Shah’s suggestion, the CM directed the acting chief secretary Musadiq Ahmad to post a good offer as the new Gorakh Hill director general to implement the proposed development initiative.

The meeting discussed the proposal of corporate farming to engage international companies. The irrigation department proposed CC lining of the lower Nara Canal for stopping water seepage. The CM directed the irrigation department to submit their proposals for lining the canal.

The meeting also discussed facilitating private parties to establish shrimp farms/hatcheries along the coastal highway of Sindh. The CM directed the fisheries department to submit business models for further action.

The meeting also discussed outsourcing the provincial government’s cattle farms at Rohri, Umerkot and Naukot. The private parties would invest in and improve cattle breeds for milk and meat as private partners of the provincial government.