Eliminate drugs on campuses: CM

Sharjeel briefs Murad Ali Shah on measures taken by his ministry to curb drug peddling in Hyderabad, Karachi

KARACHI:

 

The Sindh government has decided to further strengthen the Provincial Excise & Narcotics Control Department to save the new generation, particularly children, from the perils of drugs.

This decision was taken in a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah at the CM House on Friday. Attendees included Senior Minister for Information and Excise & Narcotics Sharjeel Memon, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, PSCM Agha Wasif, Excise & Taxation Secretary Saleem Rajput and others.

Sharjeel briefed CM Shah on the measures taken by his ministry to curb drug peddling in Hyderabad and Karachi, including initiatives to prevent its infiltration into educational institutions and slum areas.

The chief minister expressed serious concern over synthetic drugs infiltrating educational institutions, stressing the need for coordinated efforts among police, ANF, and the Excise & Narcotics Department to eradicate this threat.

Sharjeel announced the establishment of Excise & Narcotics check-posts at Sindh's borders with other provinces. He also disclosed plans to revive the Hub check-post, inactive since 2007, to prevent drug smuggling into the province.

CM Shah outlined the presence of 47 police stations under the Excise & Narcotics Control Department, including six in Karachi, 11 in Hyderabad, eight in Sukkur, 10 in Larkana, five in Mirpurkhas, and seven in Shaheed Benazirabad. The department also operates check-posts in Karachi, Larkano, Hyderabad, Sukkur, and Shaheed Benazirabad divisions.

The chief minister directed the senior minister to enhance the capacity of narcotic police with essential equipment, vehicles, and gadgets to ensure optimal performance.

City to get more water from Keenjhar Lake

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah during a meeting with a World Bank delegation led by its Country Director Najy Benhaaine, discussed the need to increase the storage capacity of Keenjhar Lake to manage the ever-increasing water demand of Karachi.

According to the CM, Keenjhar Lake is crucial for providing drinking water to Karachi and its surrounding areas. The proposed project includes improving the KB Feeder Lower Canal System, extending Keenjhar Lake, and developing social and environmental plans. The World Bank has expressed support for the project, which is estimated to cost around $300 million. Additionally, the pre-feasibility of modernisation of right bank canals of Sukkur Barrage was carried out under the Sindh Water Sector Improvement Project (WSIP), and detailed feasibility would be carried out under the ongoing Sindh Water and Agriculture Transformation Project (SWAT) at an estimated cost of $200 million.

Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro briefed the meeting about the Keenjhar Lake expansion and KB Feeder improvement projects.

The CM and World Bank team discussed a 10-year engagement strategy called Country Partnership Framework (CPF) 2025-34 to achieve five different goals. The goals include reduced child stunting, reduced learning poverty, more resilience to climate change, decarbonization of the economy and more inclusive job opportunities.

The objective of initiating Reduced Child Stunting is to improve access to basic health, diversified nutrition and family planning services. The other objective is to improve access to clean water, sanitation services and hygiene. Reduced learning poverty: Under this project access to quality schools and foundational learning would be improved.

Minister Education Sardar Shah said that the education dept was working to increase equitable access to quality early childhood education (ECE), and primary and secondary education to promote social cohesion and to provide greater opportunities for learning, participation and 21st-century skills to marginalized groups, particularly girls and women.

The CM said that education dept was also working to improve the quality of learning outcomes by strengthening the teaching/learning process through innovations.