KARACHI, Nov 29: The Sindh Governor, Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, has urged ministers and elected representatives to have stronger association with the people and gear up the pace of public welfare works.

Chairing a meeting at the Governor’s House, he asked the ministers to maintain close liaison with the common man.

The meeting was attended by Federal Housing Minister Syed Safwanullah, Minister of State Dr Aamir Liaquat, Provincial Ministers Rauf Siddiqui, Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani, Qamar Mansoor, Shoaib Bukhari, advisers M.A. Jalil, Waseem Akhtar, Salahuddin Hyder, Fatima Surayya Bajiya, Noman Saigol, Ashfaq Mangi and others.

Governor Ibad pointed out that people had pinned great hopes in the elected representatives for resolution of their problems.

He directed every department to chalk up a coordinated line of action for solution of people’s problems and provide them relief.

He said a clear timeframe should also be determined for completion of all projects while keeping public opinion in mind.

Participants of the meeting considering the problems of people also gave proposals with regard to their respective departments.

The governor directed the ministers and advisers to arrange regular monitoring and reviews of the performance of officials.

In another meeting, the governor said that economic progress was most imperative for the development and prosperity of any country.

Talking to a trade mission of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce which, along with the UK Deputy High Commissioner, Hamish St Clair Daniel, called on the Governor at Governor’s House on Tuesday, Ibad said: “The Pakistani nation has decided to achieve its mission of economic progress.”

Ibad informed the visitors about the steps in vogue in various sectors and the opportunities of investment available here.

He pointed out that half of the population lived in rural areas and that the government was focussing on poverty alleviation and promotion of economy and agriculture-based industries to bring prosperity.

During the last few years, a positive image had been built up about Karachi, and investors had started taking advantage of that and of the simplified rules and regulations.

The governor informed that today every industry was keen for its expansion while their numbers were significantly increasing in the province.

He welcomed the European Commission Asia investment tripartite pre-project agreement between the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and hoped that it would produce better results.

The project to be implemented with the financial assistance of the European Union would be completed in two years at a cost of 0.3 million Euros.—APP