Latest news with #SyedMuradAliShah
Express Tribune
14 hours ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Sindh CM announces 14-Day Independence celebrations
Listen to article Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah announced that this year's Independence Day celebrations will take place over 14 days, from August 1 to 14, under the theme Marka-e-Haq.' Speaking at a press conference in Karachi with Senior Ministers Sharjeel Inam Memon and Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, he said the extended celebrations demonstrate a unified effort by the federal and provincial governments to commemorate the national achievements of May. He said the decision was made in coordination with the federal government to reinforce the importance of national independence. August 14 would not be limited to a single day this year. The Chief Minister noted that Pakistan's armed forces gave a decisive response to the neighbouring country, and the events throughout August will recognize that. He added, 'Those who don't participate in these celebrations will be noticed by the people.' 'We have never accepted defeat. We will not cancel any programs out of fear of terrorism,' Shah said. He assured that the police, rangers, and Pakistan Army are fully prepared to maintain public safety during the celebrations. He also called on the media to support the campaign by highlighting individuals, homes, vehicles, shops, and public buildings decorated for Independence Day. Shah mentioned that Sindh has always led from the front and will continue to do so. Commenting on potential cabinet changes, he added, 'When I decide to make changes, I will and everyone will know.' In support, Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori met with a delegation of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), led by Senior Vice President Saquib Fayyaz Magoon, to discuss preparations for Independence Day. Tessori emphasized the importance of business community participation in the 'Marka-e-Haq' campaign and said it is a collective responsibility to celebrate the occasion in a dignified manner. The FPCCI delegation assured full support and active involvement in the planned events.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
KMC cracks down on illegal parking fees, plot allotments
Despite an official ban by the KMC and Sindh government, a man continues to collect parking fees from motorcyclists in Saddar, raising questions about enforcement on the ground. PHOTO: EXPRESS The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has launched a citywide operation to eliminate illegal parking fee collection, while also initiating the cancellation of plots found to have been illegally leased in the Orangi Township Project. Following the announcement of free parking across the city by Mayor Murtaza Wahab, and subsequent directives from Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, KMC launched a crackdown against illegal parking fee collection. Since the launch of the initiative, three FIRs have been registered in connection with the illegal fee collection, including at Kharadar police station on July 10, following citizen complaints; at Bahadurabad police station on July 28, after a raid by the City Wardens; and at Boat Basin police station on July 29 when culprits were caught red-handed. Wahab has urged citizens not to pay parking charges and to report such incidents to KMC Helpline 1339. He has also directed the City Warden Department to deploy teams at designated free parking locations, and to conduct regular patrolling to ensure compliance. Separately, KMC has initiated the cancellation of over 320 illegally leased plots in the Orangi Township Project, after an internal investigation was ordered by the mayor. The inquiry revealed that during the tenure of then Project Director Rizwan Khan, a number of plots were leased without due process. In 2019, 26 plots were allotted to a single individual, while 180 others were issued to members of the same family and close associates. Current Project Director Faisal Rizvi also submitted a report identifying over 500 irregular allotments in total, including 80 previously identified and 320 discovered in the latest phase. The cancellation process has begun, with related cases forwarded to the director general anti-corruption for legal action.
Business Recorder
5 days ago
- Health
- Business Recorder
CM inaugurates ‘Mother and Child Health Centre' at LU Jamshoro
HYDERABAD: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday inaugurated the newly built Mother and Child Health Centre at Liaquat University, Jamshoro as major step forward in the province's efforts to improve maternal and child healthcare. The project, completed with the generous support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), was hailed as a symbol of enduring friendship between Sindh and Japan. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Chief Minister described the facility as 'a beacon of hope and a new dawn for maternal and child health,' and expressed deep gratitude to the Government and people of Japan. 'This hospital is not just a building of bricks and mortar,' he said, 'It is a statement of compassion, progress, and our shared vision for healthier generations.' The hospital project, which began construction in July 2018, was completed under the Annual Development Programme 2025–26 for Rs. 331 million. It adds 128 beds, bringing the total bed capacity of Liaquat University Hospital to 856, and is fully equipped with modern medical equipment and staff training programs to provide round-the-clock maternal and child health services. It will officially become operational next week, serving families across Hyderabad Division and beyond. The Chief Minister acknowledged the Ambassador of Japan, Shoichi Okamoto, and JICA for their consistent support in Sindh's healthcare reforms, especially during challenging times. He called the project 'a success story of international collaboration that will strengthen our system for generations.' Expanding Healthcare network: Highlighting the government's broader healthcare strategy, Murad Ali Shah announced the establishment of four new Satellite Healthcare Centres in Shahdadpur, Qambar, Shahdadkot, Sujawal, and Mirpur Mathelo. These facilities will extend 24/7 maternal and neonatal care to underserved areas, ensuring that quality healthcare is accessible to all segments of society. Shah also emphasised the role of mobile health units and telemedicine in reaching remote communities, calling them 'lifelines for families who were once hours away from care.' The CM said that the Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology (SICHN) was spotlighted as a key achievement. Since its inception, SICHN has expanded from Karachi into a province-wide network offering one of the world's largest public neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) systems with over 262 incubators. It may be noted that the institute now treats over 500,000 children annually with a 91 per cent survival rate. Infant mortality in Sindh has declined from 54 deaths per 1,000 live births to 29, a dramatic and verifiable improvement. 'Today, every child in Sindh is within a 30-minute reach of emergency care,' the Chief Minister said, noting that this was unthinkable just a few years ago. Shah praised the ChildLife Foundation for partnering with the government to operate neonatal units in every Taluka hospital, and proudly remarked that SICHN rivals private hospitals in terms of infrastructure and patient outcomes. Murad Ali Shah also highlighted other transformative steps in Sindh's public health sector, including liver transplants at the Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), Kidney transplants at SIUT, and Cancer treatment at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) where each patient receives treatment worth approximately $100,000, fully funded by the Sindh government. 'These are not just hospitals,' the CM said. 'They are promises fulfilled - lifelines for future generations.' Referring to challenges arising after the 18th Constitutional Amendment, the Chief Minister criticised attempts by the federal government to reclaim certain health institutions. 'Health is a provincial subject now,' he said, vowing to protect Sindh's jurisdiction and services from 'encroachments and land grabbers.' The Chief Minister concluded by thanking Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho for her leadership in transforming Sindh's healthcare system. He reaffirmed the government's commitment: 'The birth of a child should always be a moment of hope, not fear. Our mission is to ensure that no mother dies during childbirth, and every child receives the healthy start in life they deserve,' the CM said. Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal, addressing the ceremony, said, 'These are not just hospitals,' the CM said. 'They are promises fulfilled - lifelines for future generations.' Ambassador of Japan, Shoichi Okamoto, speaking on the occasion, said that the health facility was a gift from Japan to the people of Hyderabad Division. The ceremony ended with strong calls for continued collaboration between Sindh and Japan, reinforcing a shared dedication to human dignity, equity, and the well-being of every mother and child in the province. Those who spoke on the occasion: Health Secretary Rehan Baloch and Executive Director SICHN Prof Jamal Raza. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
5 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Sindh CM discusses US development aid with Elizabeth Horst
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah met with Elizabeth Horst, Chargé d'Affaires of the United States of America to Pakistan, to discuss the progress and future of US development assistance in the province. The meeting was held at CM House and was attended by provincial ministers - Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Principal Secretary to CM Agha Wasif, Chairman P&D Board Najam Shah. The USA delegation members were Consul General Scott Urbom, Deputy Consul General Jai Nair, Chief Political & Economic Section Shelley Saxen, Political Officer Trevor Earnshaw, Political Specialist Saleh Shah and Staff Assistant Charles Besnard. The two sides reviewed completed initiatives and explored future collaboration opportunities in the fields of education, water and sanitation, health, climate resilience, and municipal services. Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah reaffirmed his government's commitment to deepening its partnership with USAID. He outlined several areas where USAID's continued support is critical: Education Sector Reforms: The CM said that his government seeks USAID's assistance in addressing post-2022 flood reconstruction needs, with over 20,000 schools fully or partially damaged. The province aims to restore educational infrastructure and scale up quality teaching through ICT and teacher training. Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH): Murad Shah said that under the WASH project; there is a dire need for immediate rehabilitation of 799 water supply schemes, 444 drainage systems, and 1,212 RO/UF plants is underway. He proposed an additional 504 filtration units for schools and health facilities.
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Health
- Express Tribune
Mother, child hospital gift of Japan to Sindh's people: envoy
The Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, who inaugurated a mother and child health facility in Jamshoro district on Friday, has boasted that emergency pediatric healthcare units presently existed within 30 minutes reach in the province. "Today, every child in Sindh is within a 30-minute reach of emergency care," the CM said at the inaugural of the new 128-bed facility at Liaquat University Hospital in Jamshoro. "This was unthinkable just a few years ago." Japanese Ambassador Shoichi Okamoto and Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho were also present on the occasion. Construction of the hospital, which has expanded the LUH's total number of beds to 856, began in July, 2018. It has been completed with the support of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) after a span of seven years at the cost of Rs331 million. The facility will, however, open its doors for the patients after a week. The CM acknowledged Japanese ambassador Okamoto and JICA for their consistent support in Sindh's healthcare reforms, especially during challenging times. A new maternal and child health center has opened at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) at Jamsho, the regional hub hospital in Hyderabad, with a Japanese grant of about 4.1 billion yen. The center includes obstetrics and pediatrics departments, a labor room, obstetrics ward, neonatal and maternal-fetal intensive care units, a laboratory, and outpatient consultation rooms, along with medical equipment like incubators and ultrasound devices. This project will benefit around 3.5 million people living in Hyderabad and Jamshoro. Japanese Ambasador Shuichi Akamatsu said: "This facility will bring medical services closer to home and provides mothers and babies with the timely and quality healthcare they deserve. We strongly hope that this new center will be effectively utilized in a sustainable manner." JICA Pakistan Chief Naoaki Miyata said that this project will achieve its goal of reducing the mother and child mortality and better accessibility to quality health care services. CM meets US Chargé d'Affaires CM Murad Ali Shah and the US Chargé d'Affaires Elizabeth Horst in a meeting on Friday reviewed completed initiatives and explored future collaboration opportunities in the fields of education, water and sanitation, health, climate resilience, and municipal services. He sought co-financing with USAID for constructing new Basic Health Units (BHUs), Rural Health Centres (RHCs), and Mother & Child Health Centres in underserved areas. Horst acknowledged the Sindh government's proactive role and reiterated the US' commitment to supporting Pakistan's sustainable development. World Bank team CM Murad met with a high-level World Bank delegation led by Regional VP Ousmane Dione to discuss ongoing development projects worth $4.012 billion. He presented a zone-specific WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) strategy based on climate and water availability. It uses AI mapping, drone surveys, and geo-tagging to design solutions across six zones. Treated wastewater will support mini forests and livelihoods. Murad flagged project delays due to the absence of a dedicated procurement specialist in Karachi following Uzma Sadaf's passing. He urged the bank to fill the vacancy and expedite processes. He requested an additional $170 million for the Karachi Urban Mobility Project (KUMP) and urged quick approval of the Project Operations Manual for KWSSIP-II before the August 2025 deadline. Extensions were also sought for SELECT (until April 2027) and Social Protection Delivery projects (until December 2028). The World Bank delegation, including Country Director Bolormaa Amgaabazar, acknowledged the concerns and reaffirmed support for Sindh's development priorities.
