KARACHI, Oct 17: Sindh Minister for Tourism and Culture Rauf Siddiqui has said that the provincial government plans to develop the Jinnah International Safari at Shah Belo. The project is expected to be completed in two years.

Talking to newsmen here on Tuesday, the minister said that the Shah Belo forests had been serving as sanctuaries for bandits for years.

About 95 per cent of the forests, spread over 650 square kilometres, was cleansed of bandits in an operation carried out in 2004-05 with the help of the Rangers and the Army.

He said that the Sindh government was working on a plan to develop an area of about 150 square kilometres.

The project was approved on August 19 this year and there was a proposal to award it to local and foreign investors on the ‘build, operate and transfer’ (BOT) basis for 50 years, the minister said.

Mr Siddiqui said that roads would be built in the area without cutting any tree.—Online