CM, British envoy discuss city's burning issues

Special focus given to water shortage the metropolis has been facing since long

KARACHI:

British High Commissioner Jane Marriott called on Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah at the CM House and discussed many critical issues including climate change, post-flood rehabilitation, and education. Principal Secretary Agha Wasif was also present during the meeting.

Discussing the challenges faced by Sindh, Marriott said, "The rehabilitation after the devastating floods is one of the biggest challenges for the Sindh government."

The CM mentioned, "Over 2.1 million people were displaced, and 23,000 schools were partially or fully destroyed during the floods." He shared that the Sindh government has initiated climate-resilient projects.

The CM expressed gratitude to the British government for their support, adding, "We have prioritised the restoration of the irrigation system to revive the agriculture sector and stabilise the economy." On education, Murad said that efforts to rebuild damaged schools were progressing and acknowledged the invaluable assistance from donor agencies.

Discussions also touched on industrial development, particularly the completion of Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Marriott emphasised the need for industrialisation in Karachi.The CM shared updates on the government's commitment to economic growth through public-private partnerships, engaging both local and international investors.

Addressing Karachi's water supply issues, the CM disclosed that the city faces a 50 per cent shortage of water against total needs. He said, in order to address the issue, his government was working on the K-IV water supply project and the construction of a new Hub Canal."

Later, talking to a delegation from the Human and Social Development Sector of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) at the CM House the chief minister said that 39 per cent of school-age children in Pakistan are out of school, and 39 per cent of the population faces multidimensional poverty, driven by lack of education, poor healthcare, and low living standards.

The topics that came under discussion included reforms in nursing education and the introduction of scholarships to promote higher education in this field. Murad said that Pakistan's Human Capital Index (HCI) value of 0.41, due to gaps in education and healthcare, children's productivity is limited to just 41 per cent of their potential.