29 January 2004	Thursday	06 Zilhaj 1424

KARACHI, Jan 28: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, while supporting a plan of the Institute of Business Management to establish a college of urban and environmental management in the city in near future , on Wednesday pledged provision of additional land to the institute at the Super Highway Educational City.

He gave such assurance during a visit to the IBM campus at Korangi Creek. Addressing a ceremony at the campus, he said, "This is very timely initiative, as environmental depletion is becoming an increasingly serious issue for Karachi."

Quoting a United Nations report which mentioned Karachi and Kolkata as two of the most environmentally endangered mega cities in the world, the governor underscored the need to produce students with expertise in urban and environmental management.

He pointed out that being a huge city, Karachi had a higher population growth rate. "This has imposed severe strains on the infrastructure, including facilities for education. To increase such facilities, the government should and will do all in its power and establish more centres of academic excellence, but we have a long way to go before we can achieve self-sufficiency in this field. So we desperately need help from the private sector," he observed.

Mr Ibad said that the government would address the problems and remove the obstacles pointed out by IBM President Shahjehan Karim, earlier in his welcome speech.

Dr Ibad said that under the present democratic government in Sindh, significant progress had been made in the province. "This government is committed to the fulfilment of the hopes of the masses and ensuring rapid economic development in this province is the top most priority in the policy agenda of this government," he added.

The Governor observed that business education had a key role to play in stimulating development. Business schools contributed to widening of opportunities for acquiring knowledge about best business techniques, so that enterprises could maintain a competitive edge in the market, he said, adding that the institutions also enhanced the technical skills of the youth and enabled them to get decent employment.

Governor congratulated the members of the institute's board of governors, its management, the faculty and the staff on making remarkable achievements in business education and assured them of government's support.-PPI/APP