KARACHI, March 3: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Saturday asked the Sindh government to urgently take all necessary steps to ensure full compliance of EU standards to restore the export of fish products to the European Union countries.

The prime minister said this while chairing a meeting to discuss both short and long-term measures to reverse EU's decision of de-listing of Pakistani fish processing plants exporting fish to the EU.

He said all necessary steps should be taken for the up-gradation of harbour facilities, improving sanitary conditions and setting up state-of-the-art laboratories to ensure compliance of the EU standards on the entire seafood chain.

The prime minister said there was a need to leverage the country's natural advantage of having a long coastline and vast marine and inland waters to increase the export of fish products.

He said given these natural advantages exporting fish products to the tune of $1 billion is a conservative target.

Chief Minister Sindh Dr. Arbab Ghulam Rahim apprised the prime minister of the steps being taken by provincial government to restore the export of fish to the EU countries.

He assured the PM that the Sindh government was fully seized of the matter and will take all out measures to achieve this target.

Later, at a high-level meeting the prime minister was updated on the progress made in introducing mass transit system in Karachi to ease traffic congestion.

Highlighting the importance of mass transit system for Karachi, the

Mr. Aziz said it will provide reliable, affordable and environmentally acceptable mode of transportation to the people. The setting up of mass transit system will create jobs and generate economic activity, he said.

The meeting was attended among others by Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat ul Ibad, Minister for Information Muhammad Ali Durrani, Minister of State for Agriculture, Mohammad Ali Malkani, Minister of State for Finance, Omar Ayub Khan, and Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Sikandar Hayat Bosan.—APP