KARACHI, Oct 10: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah seeks more cooperation from the state of Illinois, the US, in the agriculture, energy, education and health sectors.

During a meeting with Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, the chief minister said that Sindh possessed huge reserves of coal that could be harnessed with the help of technical assistance and investment for producing energy. The CM also met Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel in Chicago, according to a statement issued here on Wednesday.

Mr Quinn welcomed the CM and agreed to his suggestion for increased cooperation and said Illinois was equipped with modern technical skills for the extraction and gasification of coal.

He said he looked forward to further discussions at technical level on all four sectors — agriculture, energy, education and health. The governor accepted the chief minister’s invitation to visit Sindh.

During his meeting with the Chicago mayor, the CM praised Mr Emanuel for taking good care of Pakistani community and making efforts for their integration into American society. He appreciated the city of Chicago’s decision to name a section of Devon Avenue after Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

Mr Emanuel thanked the Sindh CM for his visit to Chicago and appreciated meaningful contributions of Pakistanis who, he said, were a valuable asset of the city. He also praised thousands of students from Pakistan who chose universities in Chicago for higher education.

After the meetings, the CM presented Sindh’s traditional gifts of Ajrak, Khais etc to the governor and the mayor and other distinguished personalities.

Consul General of Pakistan in Chicago Zaheer Pervaiz Khan and notable members of the Pakistani community were present during both the meetings.—APP