President Zardari lays foundation stone of various projects in Sindh

Radio Pakistan

President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday inaugurated various developmental projects aimed at further improving the communication infrastructure and enhancing the education facilities in Sindh province. The projects inaugurated today included a 61-Km Larkana-Naudero-Lakhi Road‚ a 19-Km Sakrand-Shaheed Benazirabad‚ 15 Km Ratodero-Naudero Road via Garhi Khuda Baksh. The President also inaugurated Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Sakrand‚ Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Chair & Convention Centre/Hall of the Sindh University Jamshoro and also laid the foundation of Dadu Campus of the Sindh University. Giving details of the projects inaugurated today‚ Spokesperson to the President Senator Farahtullah Babar said that Shaheed Benazir BhuttoUniversity of Veterinary and Animal Sciences‚ Sakrand‚ established at the cost of Rs. 3000 million approximately‚ is the first veterinary institution in Sindh and second in the country. The University has main campus in Sakrand and additional campus in Larkana. It will have six faculties‚ two directorates and one institute. He said that the President also inaugurated Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Chair & Convention Centre/Hall of the Sindh University Jamshoro that has been established in memory of the great leader and former twice-elected Prime Minister of the country. The SMBB Chair‚ Spokesperson said‚ besides compiling database covering aspects of her life will carry out research studies in the field of development sciences with special focus on devising pro-poor policies for sustainable economic development of the country and the Sindh province in light of aspiration of the martyred leader. It will also initiate gender development studies with emphasis on women issue‚ their role in the nation-building and democratization process‚ the state of human rights‚ freedom of speech and other issue that hinder their march towards prosperity. Spokesperson said that the President Zardari today also laid the foundation of Dadu Campus of the Sindh University which at present is housed in a sharing limited accommodation with Ustaad Bukhari Government Degree College Dadu. Spokesperson said that in view of the importance of the institution disseminating education in the country especially in the rural areas of Sindh‚ there was an urgent need for setting up full-fledge campus of the University. He said the Sindh Government has recently allotted land measuring 50 acres free of cost for the establishment of the campus at the distance of less than two kilometers in the south of Dadu City. Spokespersons said that Sindh Government has also included a scheme for construction of main/permanent campus of Sindh University at Dadu in the current year ADP 2012-13 with an allocation of Rs. 100.000 million during his year. Senatore Farhatullah Babar said that while inaugurating the road projects President Zardari urged the need for building road network throughout the country to attract investment and fully exploiting the geo strategic location of the country. The President said that geo strategic location of Pakistan at the cross roads of Central and South Asia offers the country to serve a huge market of over 3 billion in our neighborhood. He said that the roads inaugurated today will further improve connectivity of interior Sindh with the economic life line N-5 and the Indus Highway. Spokesperson said that while highlighting importance of the ports at Karachi and Port Qasim for the economic and industrial development of the country‚ the President said that present government has completed seven road projects costing 18 billion rupees in Sindh adding that because of the location of these two ports‚ roads and highways in Sindh have become very important. The Government‚ he said‚ is according the greatest attention to road network in the province and termed the road projects costing nearly four billion rupees‚ a gift to the people of interior Sindh. Commenting on Government's measures for promoting an investor-friendly environment‚ the President recounted various measures that have resulted into offering huge incentives to the investors and business community. He said that recently a law has been enacted whereby incentives and facilities offered to the investors and entrepreneurs cannot be withdrawn without Parliament's approval. The President said that despite the challenges of terrorism and natural disasters the economy has shown great resilience and is steadily recovering. Referring to positive results of government's initiatives ‚ the President said that Interest rates have come down twice recently and large scale manufacturing has also increased this year compared with last year besides growth shown by services sector and constantly increasing per capita income. The President said that Karachi Stock Exchange which was trading at5500 points in 2008 has performed tremendously and is trading at above 16000 points at present. The President said that Government was alive to the challenge of energy shortage in the country and said the country was not deficient in energy resources but these resources needed to be exploited. He said that solar and wind energy have great potential in meeting the energy crisis. The President also referred to 50 MW wind power project inaugurated two days before in Sindh and said that it was the first major wind project in the country. Pakistan‚ he said‚ has abundant sunshine that can be used for power generation and the abundant coal reserves of the country are ready to be converted into electricity and diesel. Highlighting country's mineral wealth‚ the President said that Pakistan is blessed with all kinds of precious minerals which are lying untapped and urged for exploiting this wealth. The President while commenting on challenges of extremism and militancy to the region said that the best way to fight extremism is to generate economic activity in the region. He termed poverty and economic deprivation as breeding grounds for extremism and said that economic security was the most effective weapon to fight extremism. Roads and connectivity projects‚ he said‚ will enhance economic security. On Government's efforts for peace in the region ‚ the President said that we have liberalized visa regime and improved trade relations with India which he said will contribute to stability in the region. Promotion of regional trade‚ the President said‚ is an important component of our growth strategy and added that present Government has concluded Free Trade Agreements with China‚ Sri Lanka and Malaysia besides Preferential Trade Agreements with Iran‚ Mauritius and Indonesia. Pakistan has also extended its trade relations to the ECO countries and Central Asian Republics‚ the President said on the occasion. The President on the occasion urged the need for more roads‚ more educational institutions and more infrastructure projects to meet the needs of a growing population. In this context he commended the Sindh Government for initiating massive developmental program "Sindh Development Package" and the Karachi-Hyderabad super highway which is being up-graded to a 6-lane Motorway. In addition 17 development projects costing 78 billion rupees have been undertaken in Sindh‚ the President said and reiterated firm resolve of the Government to change the face of the rural population. He assured that Government will left no stone unturned in improving the standards of living of common people in the remote areas of the country. The President on the occasion also touched on government's steps for poverty eradication and said that the Government has launched a major drive against poverty and has introduced ‘Benazir Income Support Programme for the poorest which he said was supporting millions of poor families across the country.