Sindh Assembly task force to introduce legislation on SDGs

KARACHI: A Sindh Assembly Members Task Force on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on Thursday announced to introduce legislation that shall ensure all the companies and development projects working in Sindh to replicate the sustainable human development model being carried out by 'Thar Foundation'.

The task force members were also of the view that unlike the development projects which created victims of the development in the country, the Govt of Sindh and Engro public-private partnership model in Thar has made the difference and turned affectees into beneficiaries.Task force members visited Thar area and also inaugurated an Artificial Limb Camp being held at Thar Foundation Hospital, Islamkot jointly organised by Thar Foundation and a NGO Naya Qadam.

The delegation included the convener MPA Pir Mujibul Haq and MPAs Dr Suhrab Khan Sarki, Raja Abdul Razzaq of Pakistan People’s Party, Riaz Hyder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Basit Ahmed Siddiqi, Mangla Sharma, Rabia Khatoon of MQM Pakistan, Sarwat Fatima of Tahreek-e-Labbaik, Ms Jennifer Ankon Khan of Action Against Hunger and Niaz Ahmed Kandhir of European Union-funded Project “Subai” for strengthening of parliamentary democracy.

Before visiting the development interventions, Syed Abul Fazal Rizvi, Chief Operating Officer (CEO) of Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) and Thar Foundation made a detailed briefing to the group. Mr Rizvi highlighted the outstanding support provided by Govt of Sindh, Engro Energy Limited (EEL) and other partners in making this project a success. He also reiterated the need to have royalty given to Thar Foundation to achieve United Nation’s SDG Goals in Taluka of Islamkot well before the target year 2030.

After the presentation, the group visited mining, power plant, RO plants and schools of TF, Thar Million Tree Project, Marvi Clinic, Khushaal Thar, New Senhri Dars Resettlement village and Thar Foundation Hospital, Islamkot.

The Task Force Convener, Barrister Mujeebul Haq said that projects being carried out in Thar following Thar Coal projects are exemplary. He regretted that the oil and gas sector in Sindh has not given due attention to the development of the local area, which is the need of time. “Under the platform of Task Force on SDGs in Sindh Assembly, we shall introduce legislation that would ensure all the companies to replicate sustainable human development model in respective areas,” Mr Rizvi said.

MPA Dr Suhrab Sarki, the Chairman of Standing Committee on Health said that Thar coal projects have provided job opportunities to the locals and public-private partnership model between GoS and Engro has proved to be unmatched in entire Pakistan.

MPA Mangla Sharma of MQM-P was of the view that they have been seeing all negative about Thar, but the development taking place in Thar has totally changed their perception.

“Rest of the companies working in Thar should ensure implementing Thar Foundation like CSR model in their respective areas,” she added. MPA Riaz Haider of the PTI was of the view that GoS should replicate a similar development model in rest of the rural areas of the province as they have demonstrated in Thar through Thar Foundation. Saying that it is enough of seeing at media children dying of malnourishment all the time, he added that good positive work should also be shown so that other areas should also reap the benefit.