Japanese envoy agrees to work with Sindh govt on development of fisheries, automobiles

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and the Japanese ambassador to Pakistan, Kuninori Matsuda, have agreed to work together for the development of fisheries, automobile, and IT-based youth exchange programmes from the next year.

This decision was taken in a meeting held between the two at the chief minister's house on Monday.

The chief minister said that there were a lot of investment opportunities for Japanese investors in Sindh.

 "The provincial government encourages investment in the province directly or on the public-private partnership mode," he said.

 The visiting Japanese envoy said that they had chosen to work with the automobile, fisheries, and youth exchange programmes in IT sectors.

The CM said that his government was working to develop the fisheries sector on par with international standards.

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 "We have best jetties and large fishermen settlements," he said, adding that it would be a great opportunity if Japanese investors came over to invest in fisheries and use the latest technologies to further flourish the sector.

"If Japanese investors want to invest on their own, the government would not only welcome them but extend them complete support and if they intend the provincial government should become their partner, we would do it on PPP mode," he said.

 The visiting envoy also showed interest in establishing a presence of Japanese automobiles in or nearby Karachi. The chief minister said that his government would welcome the investment.

"Japanese automobile industry would have a vast market in the region if it is established here," Shah said and added that we have sea routes to export the automobiles to the nearby countries apart from meeting the national requirement.

 The third sector on which the CM and the Japanese envoy agreed to chalk out a detailed program was the exchange of skilled youth packages.

 Under the programme, students of information and technology from different universities of the province would acquire necessary training in Japan.

The chief minister directed his principal secretary to develop coordination between the Japanese Embassy in Islamabad and the provincial Investment department to start official negotiations to materialize the projects.