24 April 2004	Saturday	03 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

KARACHI, April 23: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad has stressed upon implementation of a coordinated plan for 'Vision Karachi'. He was speaking at a meeting at Governor's House on Friday.

The governor said that Karachi was the seventh largest city of the world and an emerging economic hub of the region.

"We should accomplish the Vision Karachi and make available all modern facilities in this respect, including modern infrastructure for health, education, tourism and recreational sectors," he said.

Dr Ibad said that coastal areas, international shopping plaza, Theme Park, light rail, education and health departments would be developed on international standards. Under the Vision Karachi project, he said that culture and the art of construction in Pakistan as well as its history would be highlighted in the Theme Park.

Besides, he said that separate portions in the park would be reserved depicting the culture of each area of the country. He expressed hope that after successful completion of the park, another Theme Park would be developed on Disney Land's pattern.

He said that implementation of the project would create job opportunities and have positive impact on economic conditions of the country. He was of the view that all efforts were aimed at bringing improvement in life standard of common man and provide facilities to the citizens as well as tourists.

The governor directed the officials concerned to formulate a master plan in this respect and devise clear strategy and schedule for all these projects. He also directed renowned architect Syed Zaigham Jaffry to hold a meeting of architects of Saarc countries.

He said that the experts would be able to share their experience and knowledge in order to execute finest planning for Karachi.

FREE TEXTBOOKS: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan has said that in Sindh the project of free education up to secondary level and distribution of free textbooks at primary level had begun three years back.

He said equal attention was being paid to rural as well as urban population, while implementation of a coordinated programme of poverty alleviation, solution of problems of water, electricity, traffic and law and order, as well as investment and promotion of economic activities was in progress.

He was talking to a delegation of the Air War Course, led by Commandant Air Vice-Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, which called on him at the Governor's House on Friday. To a proposal about beginning of free education in Sindh, as introduced in the Punjab, the governor informed the delegation that Sindh had begun this programme three years back, whereby free education was being imparted up to secondary level, besides distribution of free textbooks at primary level and payment of stipend to girl students of class V to VIII, so that girls could be educated in rural areas.

He pointed out that both the rural and urban areas were facing poverty, but rural people were more affected. The rural economy, he observed, was dependent on agriculture and, therefore, more attention was being paid to improvement of this sector.

In this regard, the emphasis was being laid on availability of water and its judicious distribution and use of modern technology, he added. He said that besides Karachi, industrial and economic activities were also being augmented in other parts of the province, so that job opportunities could be created for the people closer to the places of their residence.

He told the course participants that headway was being made in economic advancement and investment sector due to improvement in law and order. He said that establishment of Textile City in Bin Qasim area would help provide jobs to 80,000 people.

Dr Ibad informed that coordinated and untiring efforts had been made for improvement in law and order during the last 18 months, mainly due to better coordination among various law-enforcement agencies. -PPI/ APP