KARACHI: British High Commissioner Philip Barton has said that the British government and private organisations of England are keenly interested in the development of the Sindh province.

Mr Barton, who called on Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah at the CM House on Monday, was responding to the Sindh government’s invitation to the British government and entrepreneurs for their technical support to strengthen the Sukkur barrage and make investment in water and energy projects in Sindh.

He said that the people of Britain and Sindh province had old relations and his government and some private organisations in Britain were interested in the development and investment in the Sindh province. He added that water, energy and installation of water plants for safe drinking water were the area of their interest.

Mr Barton said that they were ready to implement the energy project aimed at 800 megawatts production from solid waste in Karachi not only to provide cheap electricity to the people but also to maintain clean atmosphere of the city.

Earlier, the chief minister invited the British government and irrigation experts from the UK to provide technical assistance in strengthening and enhancing the capacity of Sukkur barrage to pass flow of 1.5 million cusecs.

The chief minister said that the province was facing water and energy problems despite the fact that they were key organs of Sindh economy.

He said that the deputy prime minister of the UK during his visit to the flooded areas of Sindh in 2010 had made a commitment to provide technical assistance to strengthen the Sukkur barrage. At present, he said, the Sindh government was actively working on this project.

The chief minister said that water was backbone for the agriculture sector of Sindh as was energy for the industrial and social development sectors. “Without the source of water and energy, we cannot achieve development goals,” he said.

Except Karachi, peaceful atmosphere prevailed in the whole Sindh and many national and foreign investors, including British companies, were participating in the development activities in the province, he said.

“As far as Karachi is concerned we have launched targeted operation against criminals to improve law and order in the economic hub of the country and a significant drop in crime rate has been recorded,” Mr Shah said.

The chief minister said that new induction in the police force was being made to counter the criminals effectively while equipment and vehicles were also being provided to the police.

The British high commissioner, Philip Barton, appreciated the efforts of the Sindh government for maintaining law and order.

He also assured the chief minister that he would convey the message of the Sindh government to the authorities concerned to provide technical support required in strengthening of the barrage.—APP