KARACHI, Sept 27: Federal Minister for Communications and Railways, Lt-Gen Javed Ashraf Qazi (R) said here on Friday that efforts are being made to engage the private sector in the development of Karachi and Bin Qasim Ports.

Karachi plays a key role in the industrial activities of the country, he said, and informed that the Night Navigation System has recently been installed at Bin Qasim Port, which earlier existed only in European countries. This system will facilitate navigation during the night in a 40km area.

The minister was addressing a conference on communication. The conference reviewed progress of communication development projects of the country.

Javed Ashraf said that the present leadership has taken concrete measures for development of underdeveloped areas of the country. He highlighted the fundamental role that a communication network had in economic and social development, adding that it was because of this that all possible measures were being taken to complete communication projects in the country.

He stressed the timely completion of all highway projects and added that work on the Karachi-Lahore-Peshawar project be geared up. He told that government attaches priority to the completion of the Karachi Northern Bypass and Lyari Expressway Projects.

Javed Ashraf referred to Rs15,010 million Mekran Coastal Highway, and said this project would leave positive economic effects in the whole region. About Rs2,201 million had been spent on this project so far, he added.

Speaking of the security on highways, the minister said that highway police have been positioned on all national highways similar to the Motorway police.

He also briefed the conference about the development and expansion of Gwadar Port, stating that work on the first phase had already started.

He stated that emphasis was also being laid on improving postal services in the country. It was due to reforms that the Postal Department had earned more than Rs400 million last year, he said.

The conference was attended by Chairman Pakistan Shipping Corporation Vice-Admiral S.H. Naqvi, Chairman KPT Rear-Admiral Ahmed Hayat, Chairman PQA Rear-Admiral Sikander Waqar Naqvi, Chairman Gwadar Port, Rear-Admiral Sarfaraz Khan and Director General Port and Shipping K.B. Rind.—PPI