Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and U.S. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Pakistan, Elizabeth Horst, met at CM House on Wednesday to discuss key issues including climate change, social uplift, and economic development. The meeting also featured discussions on investments and modernization efforts aimed at boosting the province’s infrastructure. CM Secretary Raheem Shaikh, U.S. Consul General Scott Urbom, and other officials attended the session. During the discussion on climate change, the Chief Minister highlighted the devastating impact of the 2022 floods in Sindh, which destroyed over 2.1 million houses. He shared that, with financial support from donor agencies and a combined Rs57 billion contribution from both the provincial and federal governments, efforts have begun to rebuild these homes, with 800,000 climate-resilient houses already completed. He emphasized the need for further assistance in providing water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities, along with solar power for the houses. The diplomat, Elizabeth Horst, also touched on Karachi’s potential for investment, with the Chief Minister emphasizing ongoing efforts to improve the city’s livability and competitiveness through initiatives like the Work Competitive & Liveable City of Karachi (CLICK). He outlined the goal of improving Sindh’s business regulatory environment to attract more private-sector investments. In education, CM Murad highlighted his government’s increased budget allocation for the sector, while acknowledging the need for continued progress, particularly in the health sector. Ms. Horst also stressed the need for modernizing agriculture to improve rural livelihoods, with the Chief Minister reaffirming Sindh’s commitment to this goal through the introduction of high-yield, low-deltaic crop varieties. The Chief Minister presented Ms. Horst with a traditional Sindhi Ajrak crafted by differently-abled children, which she gratefully received.
