CM seeks more public-private partnerships for development of Karachi

Presiding over a meeting on financial resource mobilisation on Friday, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah urged the city's industrialists to support his government in the development of Karachi and the province.

He said the government was eager to work with industrialists through public-private partnerships. Prominent industrialists, including MNA Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Aqeel Karim Dhedhi, Arif Habib, Zubair Motiwala, and others, attended the meeting. Representing the Sindh government were Principal Secretary to CM Agha Wasif, Special Assistant to the CM on Industries Qasim Naveed, Planning and Development Board Chairman Najam Shah, Finance Secretary Fayaz Jatoi, Industries Secretary Yaseen Shar and other officials.

The CM welcomed all industrial leaders and appreciated their presence. He asked them to support the Sindh government in the development of Karachi and the rest of Sindh. Dhedhi responded positively and requested the government to brief them on specific projects it intended to undertake with them. The CM instructed his Naveed to coordinate with the industrialists directly and engage them in detailed discussions.

The industrialists expressed interest in investing in the Shahrah-e-Bhutto and Wastewater Treatment projects. Shahrah-e-Bhutto was declared a vital road for Karachi and a potential game-changer. It was also agreed upon to carry out plantation along the Shahrah-e-Bhutto corridor.

Several new projects were discussed during the meeting, which industrialists committed to undertaking jointly with the Sindh government. It was decided that the new projects would be registered with the Karachi Stock Exchange to raise funds for their implementation.

The meeting also saw consensus on creating a direct exit route for heavy traffic from the port to reduce congestion. In addition to Shahrah-e-Bhutto, other projects for heavy traffic management were also considered. The CM emphasised the importance of involving industrialists in enhancing the beauty and civic conditions of the city.