KARACHI, Dec 30: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad has said that due to the steps taken by the government, not only job opportunities had increased but poverty was alleviated to a great extent.

Speaking at the dinner hosted in his honour by Korangi Association of Trade and Industry, he said that during last four years he focused on law and order, agricultural and industrial progress, improvement in communication sector and betterment in education and health.

He said that due to better law and order, local and foreign investment was increasing. He said that the government was focusing on developing infrastructure in the province. He said that natural resources of the province were being fully utilized to bring an industrial and agricultural revolution.

Dr Ibad said before he assumed charge of Sindh governor, industrial estates of Nooriabad, Site, Korangi was others were in bad shape and industrial units were being shifted from there, but due to steps taken by the government now almost 100 new industrial units were working in the province.

He said that Korangi was now biggest industrial area of the country, and main contributor of national revenue. He lauded various suggestions floated by industrialists and said the government would mull over merging various departments to make a main department to facilitate the industrialists.

The Sindh governor said that under world in Karachi had been completely ended and now Karachi was a city of lights. He said that no-go areas from Lyari, Landhi and Korangi were also ended. He lauded efforts of city nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal in development of the city. He also lauded leadership of MQM chief Altaf Hussain.

He said that they revived the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) and now foreign investors were keen to run it. He said that the year 2007 would be celebrated in the province as the year of religious and ethnic harmony. He announced grant of Arts Council from Rs4million to Rs5million.

Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister for Home Waseem Akhtar, city nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal, Chairman KAITI Masood Naqi, S M Munir, Mian Zahid Hussain, Abdul Haseeb Khan, Gulzar Feroze and others also spoke.—PPI