Security measures: New home minister assures businessmen

Delegation address their concerns in a meeting.

KARACHI:

The newly appointed Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wasan has assured Karachi businessmen of support and top security measures, adding that “Karachi will soon get back on track”.

A business delegation of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and SITE Association of Trade and Industry on Wednesday met with the minister for the first time since he assumed his position as the Sindh home minister, where they addressed their concerns to him.

Wasan further said that he had visited the sensitive areas of Karachi and he will soon be issuing orders to ensure that there are no more riots or terrorist attacks are carried out in the city.

He further said that he had taking up charge during challenging times and therefore he needed some time to set things right.

According to former president of KCCI, Anjum Nisar, who was part of the meeting, the delegation informed Wasan of the difficulties they were facing.

He said that following rising security risk issues, domestic and foreign investments had been deeply impacted.

He said foreign investments worth $1.5 billion had entered Pakistan in 2010-11, which was a far cry from the $6 billion that had been received in 2007-08. He informed that of the $1.5 billion received in the current financial year, a huge chunk had been in the telecom sector.

“Most export-oriented industries are in dire condition due to lack of security and severe level of power outages,” the business delegation stressed.

Prior to the meeting, the new home minister seemed to be building ground for future support for the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government as sources said  he was seeking mutual understanding and cooperation from the businessmen and was keen to address their issues, while suggesting them to support the government in its causes in return.







Published in The Express Tribune, July 14^th, 2011.