KARACHI, May 9: Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad has said that establishment of law and order is the cardinal requirement for development and progress in every sector. “The elected government in the province has entered into its third year and has made a successful and meaningful headway towards improvement of law and order,” he said while talking to residents of North Nazimabad belonging to various walks of life at the Governor’s House on Sunday. The meeting was part of governor’s direct interaction programme.

MNA Kunwar Khalid Yunus, Federal Housing Minister Syed Safwanullah, Chief Minister’s Adviser Mumtaz Hameed and other public representatives were also present on the occasion.

The governor apprised people about government efforts towards maintenance of law and order, development activities and solution to water, electricity, education and health problems. He also talked about the flow of economic activities nullifying any negative impression about Karachi.

The area residents informed the governor about problems relating to distribution of Zakat, meat closure, pension, lease and other individual and collective problems and appreciated his move for direct interaction.

Ishratul Ibad pointed out that around two years back, the government was faced with a lot of problems, but an initiative was taken after determining priorities and a fast progress could become possible with the cooperation of people.

He informed them that a code of conduct had been chalked out for maintaining conducive environment in the educational institutions. He said that the organizations concerned should follow this code and perform their responsibilities honestly otherwise the government would get the same enforced.

The governor said that “no go areas” throughout the province and those in Karachi had been eliminated.

In the interior of Sindh, he said, Shah Belo was a notorious den for criminals where an operation was launched after 57 years and it was got vacated from dacoits and positive activities got initiated there. He declared that it would be our effort to pick and eliminate the remaining crime dens.

The governor said after he returned to Pakistan and came into contact with businessmen and industrialists, he ascertained that they were thinking about winding up their business.

“We weeded out the international wave of terrorism and crimes in a manner that today every second industry in SITE is keen to expand their business while there is a significant expansion in industrial activities in Nooriabad and Kotri as well. In Nooriabad alone, the number of industrial units increased from five to 50 just in one year,” he remarked.

He said that Expo Centre Karachi was booked for the next six months, which showed the performance of government in maintaining law and order. He said that the city’s usual bustle had revived and there had been visible activities in every sector including art, culture, trade, investment, tourism and diplomatic programmes.

Dr Ishratul Ibad said that continuous efforts were being made for fast development. For the first time, he said, federal departments were cooperating in the implementation of development projects and provision of facilities. In this regard, he said that there had been a major share of ministry of ports and shipping and which were constructing various roads, flyovers and underpasses.

He said that full attention had been paid to the reopening of Khokhrapar-Monabao route and issuance of visa from Karachi and as a result these two points were included in the dialogue agenda during the recent visit of President Musharraf to India and decisions also reached on them.

He said that work on conversion of existing Khokhrapar-Monabao railway track had been started and the construction of road would be completed by December.

About his visit to Dubai, the governor said that he met the investors there and also pursued the Pakistani and foreign investors who went away from Pakistan to return and resume their trade here. —APP