11 September 2004	Saturday	25 Rajab 1425

KARACHI, Sept 10: City Nazim Naimatullah Khan has said that the city government is considering allotting land free of cost for low-cost housing projects for poor people in Karachi.

He described Pak-China friendship as exemplary and ever-lasting and said that investment by Chinese companies in the city government projects will be welcomed.

He was briefing a delegation of Chinese investors about details of CDGK's development projects at Civic Centre here on Friday. The delegation was being led by Xia Changfu, Deputy Director Development Research of Chonging Government.

The meeting was attended by EDO Works, Shoaib Siddiqi, EDO Investment Promotion Raisuddin Paracha, DG Mass Transit Malik Zahirul Islam, DO Public Housing and other officials.

The Chinese delegation evinced keen interest in housing and recycling of water projects and exchanged views on various aspects of investment in these sectors. The city nazim informed the delegation about an agreement concluded with a Chinese company for Karachi's first mass transit corridor from Sohrab Goth to Tower. He said that besides China, other countries would also be welcomed for investment.

He said it is the desire of the city government to construct two-room low-cost houses and apartments for poor people, and for this purpose, it will consider providing land to Chinese and companies of other countries.

He said the objective of providing free land is to see that the poor people are provided shelter at a very low price. Naimatulah Khan said that environment in Karachi is conducive for domestic and international investment. He said the law and order situation here was not like the one as was being projected by the Western media.

He said vast opportunities exist for investment in this city and all possible facilities would be provided for BOT-based investment. He told the delegation that the city government is trying to bring about improvement in infrastructure and its efforts are directed towards making Karachi a model city.

The City Nazim said that participation of Chinese and companies of other countries in the development of parks, particularly model parks, will be welcomed and proposals will be welcomed. He informed that investment can be made in the cottage industrial zone in Karachi.

LIBRARY: City Nazim Naimatullah Khan on Thursday night inaugurated a library set up at police headquarters, Khawaja Ajmer Nagri, North Karachi. The Holy Quran and a number of religious books have also been provided, along with other books on a variety of subjects.

DIG Investigation Mohammad Akbar Arain, SSP Hussain Asghar, TPO Shafique Rind, TMO Ishrat Siddiqui, Town Nazim Shafique Rahman Usmani and others were present. The City Nazim said that the purpose of establishing libraries at police stations was to impart religious teachings to the policemen for their reformation. -APP/PPI