Author: Shaheen Hashim

By Shaheen Hashim KARACHI: On the instructions of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, a monitoring and evaluation team from the Planning and Development Department visited the Korangi Causeway Bridge project in Karachi. The chief minister emphasized that there would be no compromise on quality in public interest projects. He stressed that transparency and timely progress must be ensured in the Rs6.13 billion scheme. According to his spokesperson, the monitoring team, led by Altaf Hussain Sario, director general of the Monitoring and Evaluation Cell, conducted a detailed inspection of the project and later presented a progress report to the…

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah launched a sweeping safety drive, declaring mandatory audits of key buildings to safeguard lives and property By Shaheen Hashim KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah chaired a high-level meeting to discuss a comprehensive fire safety audit of government, private and commercial buildings across the province. Murad Ali Shah said the initiative aimed to institutionalize safety protocols and protect lives and property. He stressed that a full audit of key buildings would no longer be optional. He said all commercial, private and government buildings must be equipped with modern fire prevention systems. Emergency…

Chief Minister approves Rs13 billion for city road rehabilitation, promising smoother traffic flow and vital support for local businesses By Sajjad Shah/ Shaheen Hashim KARACHI: The Sindh government approved a major funding package of Rs21.53 billion to repair and restore Karachi’s crumbling road network. Officials said the move was aimed at easing traffic congestion and reviving economic activity in the city. The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. Senior officials including Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah, Planning and Development Chairman…

By Shaheen Hashim KARACHI: The Sindh cabinet’s subcommittee on wheat policy held a key meeting on Tuesday, chaired by the provincial food minister, Makhdoom Mehboob Zaman. The session was attended by provincial ministers Sardar Muhammad Bakhsh Mehr, Jam Khan Shoro, Mukesh Kumar Chawla, advisor Gianchand Esrani, special assistant Abdul Jabbar Khan, Anti-Corruption chairman Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, the food department secretary, and other relevant officials. During the meeting, the food secretary provided a detailed briefing on the supply of wheat to subsidized flour mills across the province and other related matters. The subcommittee’s recommendations will now be presented at the…

By Shaheen Hashim KARACHI: Sindh’s provincial minister for local government, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, met a delegation from China’s Lingzi Group of Companies to discuss potential investment in the province. The meeting was attended by the additional chief secretary, the secretary for local government, the director general of the Karachi Development Authority, and the chief executive officer of the Water Corporation. The Chinese delegation expressed strong interest in investing in Sindh. They briefed the minister on the company’s technical expertise and professional track record. Representatives said the group was keen to install plants to convert seawater into drinking water and…

By Shaheen Hashim KARACHI: Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has accused the PTI government of dishonoring agreements made with Taliban leaders, contrasting it with the approach of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). Speaking at a public event, Memon said that while Taliban leaders were arrested during the PPP’s tenure, under the PTI government, convicted Taliban figures were reportedly released with respect. He also expressed disappointment over the reception of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister during his recent visit to Sindh. “We welcomed the Chief Minister with genuine respect and hospitality, but his behavior here was contrary to that spirit,”…

By Shaheen Hashim KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has called on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to withdraw its planned “wheel-jam” strike scheduled for 8 February, warning that the protest could provoke unrest and violence. Speaking at a function in Korangi, Shah said: “PTI should retract its strike call. We cannot afford disruption and riots. Their actions risk repeating the tragedy of 9 May, and even their own supporters will face difficulties. If PTI continues on this path, it will effectively become PTI-P.” The minister defended the provincial government’s handling of PTI leader Suhail Afridi’s recent visit,…

By Shaheen Hashim KARACHI: Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr Nikhat Shakeel, visited the Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) Karachi to review the institution’s performance, ongoing projects, and future strategic plans. During the visit, the Deputy Director General briefed Dr Shakeel on PSQCA’s role in national standardization, quality control, certification, and enforcement against substandard and counterfeit products. He highlighted improvements in laboratory facilities and steps taken to align national standards with international requirements. Dr Shakeel praised PSQCA’s work, saying that ensuring safe and high-quality products is vital for public health, consumer protection, and economic…

By Shaheen Hashim KARACHI: Senior Sindh minister Sharjeel Inam Memon had said that history could not be rewritten through factually incorrect, hate-driven statements or what he described as “cheap slogans” circulated on social media, as he launched a strong defence of the Pakistan Peoples Party’s record in Karachi and across the province. In a statement issued in Karachi, Memon said the PPP had never been indifferent to the city’s problems, rejecting claims that the party had neglected the country’s largest metropolis. He said Karachi’s deep-rooted challenges, including water shortages, broken sewerage systems, damaged roads and crumbling infrastructure, were the result…

By Shaheen Hashim KARACHI: Sindh’s minister for local government, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, toured several parts of Karachi on Monday, accompanied by senior officials from the city’s water board, the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board, the mega projects directorate, and the Karachi Development Authority, as the provincial government intensified efforts to tackle the city’s worsening civic conditions. During the inspection, Shah was joined by town chairman Dr Fouad and officials from Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town, who coordinated with representatives from the water board and the KDA throughout the visit. The minister’s rounds took him across areas grappling with persistent water shortages, accumulating…