Day: July 26, 2026

Karachi: Mayor of Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab conducted a comprehensive inspection of the city’s post-rain situation, drainage arrangements, and ongoing development projects.

During the visit, he reviewed the performance of drainage machinery and field staff deployed across the city and directed the concerned officials to utilize all available resources to provide maximum relief to citizens.

The Mayor stated that a Rain Emergency has been imposed in the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), while the Municipal Services and Engineering Department staff remain on high alert throughout the city.

He said that all available machinery has been mobilized to ensure the prompt drainage of rainwater, with operations continuing in various areas to minimize inconvenience to the public.

Mayor of Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab further stated that, in addition to ensuring efficient drainage, City Wardens will also remain deployed on major roads and at sensitive locations to assist and guide commuters.

He added that all arrangements for the rainy season have been finalized, while the cleaning of storm-water drains has been further accelerated to effectively deal with any emergency situation.

During the visit, the Mayor also inspected development projects underway at different locations across the city. He directed the relevant authorities to ensure that projects nearing completion are finished before the next spell of rainfall.

Reaffirming the city’s commitment to public service, the Mayor Karachi said that the KMC stands with its citizens in every difficult situation and is fully prepared to respond to any emergency.

Karachi: A seminar titled ‘Changing Dynamics of Power in the Middle East’ was held at the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (PIIA)’s library here on Saturday.

The speakers were Ambassador Asif Ali Khan Durrani, former Ambassador of Pakistan to Iran, Special Representative for Afghanistan, Islamabad, Lt. Col. (R) Dr Muhammad Ali Ehsan, specialist in civil-military relations, regional security, counter-terrorism, military strategy and South Asian geopolitics, and Dr Naeem Ahmed, Chairman, Department of International Relations, University of Karachi.

At the outset of the seminar, the Speakers highlighted the beginning of the conflict and stressed the need to stop it as it would affect the economy of the world. They said that the US-Iran conflict has caused an increase in petroleum products the world over.

They said that the new changing dynamics in the Middle East were emerging. The Speakers also shed light on the role of Pakistan as a mediator. They said Pakistan did a great job in bringing the US and Iran to the table of dialogue. Pakistan has still been continuing her efforts for peace to resolve the conflict, they added.

Karachi: Provincial Minister for Food, Makhdoom Mehboob uz Zaman, on Friday chaired a high-level meeting with a delegation of the Flour Mills Association to review the prevailing wheat and flour situation, market prices, supply chain, and measures to ensure the uninterrupted availability of affordable flour across Sindh.

The meeting was attended by the Advisor to the Chief Minister on Rehabilitation, Chairman Chief Minister’s Inspection Team (CMIT), Commissioner Karachi, Secretary Food, and senior officials, while the Flour Mills Association delegation included Chief Patron Haji Yousif, Chairman Junaid Aziz, Vice Chairman Abid Masood, and other office-bearers.

Addressing the meeting, Provincial Minister for Food Makhdoom Mehboob uz Zaman said that ensuring affordable flour for the people of Sindh remains the government’s foremost priority.

‘The welfare of the common man is our top priority. Flour prices must remain affordable, and every stakeholder must play a responsible role in providing relief to consumers, ‘ the Minister said. He directed flour mill owners to maintain flour prices at the lowest possible level and continue ensuring uninterrupted supplies throughout the province.

The Minister informed the meeting that the Sindh Government has intensified verified and intelligence-based operations against wheat hoarders, illegal profiteers and unauthorized traders. He said the ongoing campaign has significantly improved market stability and such operations will continue with greater intensity to eliminate artificial shortages.

He stated that the Food Department currently possesses 446, 947 metric tons of wheat stocks, comprising 140, 000 metric tons of carry-over stock, 81, 812 metric tons procured during the current procurement season and 225, 135 metric tons recovered during anti-hoarding operations.

‘The Government of Sindh has sufficient strategic wheat reserves to stabilize the market and protect consumers from unnecessary price increases, ‘ the Minister said. He further informed the meeting that there is no restriction on the inter-district movement of wheat within Sindh, allowing uninterrupted transportation and smooth supply across the province.

The Minister assured the participants that if additional wheat is required to stabilize the market, Sindh will procure wheat from PASSCO to bridge any shortfall and maintain continuous flour production.

Representatives of the Flour Mills Association appreciated the cooperation extended by the Government of Sindh and informed the meeting that Sindh had generously supplied wheat to other provinces whenever required.

The Association also requested the Government to enhance the permissible wheat storage limit for flour mills from one month’s grinding capacity to two months, stating that the existing limit affects operational efficiency and market stability.

Commissioner Karachi informed the meeting that continuous coordination between the district administration and flour millers has helped stabilize flour prices in Karachi. He stated that flour is currently available across Karachi at the government-notified price, adding that wheat is being sold at approximately Rs. 11, 600, while flour is available at around Rs. 125 per kilogram.

Secretary Food informed the meeting that a significant number of traders involved in wheat hoarding were operating without licenses issued by the Sindh Food Department, and these unlicensed traders had created artificial shortages and disturbed market conditions. He emphasized that strict legal action against such elements would continue.

The Provincial Minister assured the Flour Mills Association that their reservations, including the proposal to enhance the grinding capacity limit, would be placed before the Government for appropriate consideration. The Flour Mills Association reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the uninterrupted supply of flour throughout Karachi and the rest of Sindh and assured the Government of its full cooperation in maintaining price stability.

Concluding the meeting, Makhdoom Mehboob uz Zaman reiterated that the Sindh Government would continue pursuing a zero-tolerance policy against hoarding, illegal profiteering and artificial shortages to safeguard consumers and ensure affordable flour for every household.

Karachi: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Advocate Amjad Hussain held a high-level virtual meeting on Saturday to strengthen inter-provincial cooperation and share Sindh’s successful experiences in revenue mobilization, public-private partnerships (PPP), and post-disaster housing reconstruction.

The meeting focused on providing strategic guidance to the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) on enhancing own-source revenue collection through the establishment of a modern revenue authority, accelerating infrastructure and public service delivery through PPP projects, and exploring the replication of Sindh’s globally recognized flood-resilient housing programmed.

At the outset, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had directed him to develop close coordination and a strong working relationship with the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan in three key areas: construction of climate-resilient housing, promotion of PPP projects – particularly in power generation and tourism – and establishment of a revenue authority on the pattern of the Sindh Revenue Board (SRB).

‘Gilgit-Baltistan possesses enormous potential in tourism, hydropower and services. Through institutional reforms, digital governance and innovative financing models, this potential can be transformed into sustainable economic growth and improved public services, ‘ Murad Shah said.

The Sindh Chief Minister joined the meeting from the CM House along with PPP MPA Jameel Soomro, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on PPP and Investment Qasim Naveed, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Principal Secretary to CM Agha Wasif, Chairman Sindh Revenue Board Wasif Memon, Secretary Finance Fayaz Jatoi, Director General PPP Unit Asad Zamin and Chief Executive Officer of Sindh Peoples Housing for Flood Affectees (SPHF) Khalid Shaikh.

The Gilgit-Baltistan side was led by the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan and included the Chief Secretary GB, Secretary Finance GB and other senior officials.

During a detailed presentation, the Sindh government shared the transformation journey of the Sindh Revenue Board and offered technical support for operationalizing the proposed Gilgit-Baltistan Revenue Authority (GBRA).

Murad Shah said Sindh was ready to provide strategic support in policy design, digital architecture, institutional development, human resource management and operational frameworks to help GB establish a modern and efficient tax administration.

He explained that the success of SRB was built on five core pillars: autonomous administration, fully digital workflows, automated tax tools, data-driven audits and taxpayer facilitation.

‘The future of revenue administration lies in digital governance, transparency and taxpayer trust, ‘ Murad Shah said. ‘The Sindh Revenue Board has demonstrated that technology-driven reforms can significantly enhance revenue collection while making compliance easier for taxpayers. ‘

The meeting was informed that Sindh’s model includes mandatory e-registration, e-filing, online tax payments, automated withholding systems, business intelligence tools, point-of-sale integration and risk-based audit mechanisms.

Murad Shah highlighted several sectors where GB could substantially increase revenues, including telecommunications and internet services, hospitality and tourism, construction and engineering, banking and financial services, insurance and logistics operations linked to Sost Dry Port.

He directed SRB officials to provide technical assistance in drafting tax laws and rules, establishing IT infrastructure, training officers and developing a dedicated cadre of professional tax administrators.

Chairman SRB Wasif Memon briefed the participants on Sindh’s experience in modernizing service tax administration and strengthening voluntary compliance through digital platforms and taxpayer facilitation mechanisms.

The Sindh Chief Minister also shared the experience of the Sindh Peoples Housing for Flood Affectees (SPHF), describing it as one of the largest post-disaster housing reconstruction programmes in the world.

‘On the instructions of Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, our government launched a historic initiative to rebuild the lives of flood-affected families, ‘ he said. ‘Out of 2. 1 million houses planned, more than one million houses have already been completed, and around 1. 6 million are at different stages of construction. ‘

The meeting was informed that the programme is supported by an international financing package exceeding US$2. 2 billion, contributed by the Government of Sindh, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, Federal Government, European Investment Bank and the European Union.

Murad Shah said the programme had become an internationally recognized model for climate resilience, community participation and women’s empowerment.

He noted that approximately 1. 65 million bank accounts had been opened for beneficiaries, ensuring transparent and direct financial assistance to affected households.

The Sindh team also presented a proposed reconstruction model for 196 flood-damaged houses in Gilgit-Baltistan, designed to withstand floods and seismic events. The model includes elevated foundations, reinforced concrete structures and essential sanitation facilities, with an estimated project cost of Rs360. 6 million.

‘The experience gained through rebuilding millions of homes after devastating floods can be adapted to the unique geographic and climatic conditions of Gilgit-Baltistan, ‘ Murad Shah said.

Sindh shares two decades of PPP experience

A comprehensive presentation was also given on Sindh’s Public-Private Partnership framework, which has emerged as one of the most successful PPP models in the country.

Murad Shah said Sindh began establishing its PPP framework in 2008 with technical support from the Asian Development Bank, followed by the enactment of the Sindh PPP Act in 2010.

He said dedicated financing instruments such as the Viability Gap Fund and Project Development Facility had played a crucial role in attracting private investment into public infrastructure projects. ‘Public-private partnerships enable governments to deliver quality infrastructure and services while leveraging private-sector innovation, expertise and investment, ‘ he said.

The participants were informed that Sindh’s PPP programme has developed a strong institutional framework led by the PPP Policy Board chaired by the Chief Minister and supported by a specialised PPP Unit in the Finance Department.

Murad Shah said the province had successfully implemented PPP projects in transport, energy and municipal infrastructure, earning international recognition and awards.

The Sindh PPP Unit offered to assist Gilgit-Baltistan in developing its own PPP framework, including legal and regulatory reforms, institutional arrangements, project preparation mechanisms, funding structures and capacity-building initiatives.

Sindh CM particularly encouraged GB to explore PPP opportunities in hydropower, tourism infrastructure, roads, hospitality facilities and public services.

GB CM appreciates Sindh’s support

The Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, Advocate Amjad Hussain, thanked the Sindh government for sharing its experiences and expertise and appreciated the proactive support being extended under the guidance of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

He said Gilgit-Baltistan was keen to learn from Sindh’s successful reforms and development initiatives, particularly in revenue generation, climate-resilient housing and public-private partnerships.

‘Gilgit-Baltistan is entering a new phase of economic development and institutional strengthening, ‘ he said. ‘The experiences shared by Sindh today provide valuable guidance for improving our fiscal capacity, attracting investment and delivering better services to our people. ‘

The GB Chief Minister welcomed the offer of technical cooperation and directed his officials to work closely with their Sindh counterparts for translating the discussions into practical initiatives.

Way Forward

The two sides agreed to establish structured coordination mechanisms between relevant departments and institutions to advance cooperation in the areas of revenue reforms, PPP development and disaster-resilient housing.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah reiterated Sindh’s commitment to extending all possible technical assistance to Gilgit-Baltistan.

‘Strong inter-provincial collaboration strengthens the federation and accelerates development, ‘ he said. ‘By sharing knowledge, expertise and successful models, we can collectively improve governance and create better opportunities for our people. ‘

The meeting decided to establish a committee comprising members from both governments to facilitate further coordination and collaboration.