The Sindh government is committed to expanding financial and institutional support for genuine non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and charitable institutions under its public-private partnership model to help ease the suffering of underprivileged communities and ensure their long-term uplift through health care, education, skills development and livelihood opportunities.
Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said this while speaking as the chief guest at the Karachi edition of the 18th Annual CSR Summit & Awards that was organised by the National Forum for Environment & Health (NFEH) at a hotel.
Shah said that sincere charities and welfare organisations are playing a vital role in reaching those families who remain trapped in poverty, deprivation and hardship, and deserve collective support from both the government and the corporate sector.
He said the Sindh government, under the pro-people vision of the Pakistan Peoples Party chairman and the chief minister, firmly stands with the organisations working selflessly to reduce the pain of the poor and create opportunities for a better future for children.
He also said the provincial government had already set a successful example of public-private partnership by supporting leading institutions such as the Sindh Institute of Urology & Transplantation and the Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN) to ensure quality health care for deserving patients.
The LG minister stressed that the government remains fully committed to further expanding this cooperation in the larger interest of the deprived communities of the province.
He also praised business, industrial and banking organisations for extending generous support to welfare institutions under their corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitments, saying that such partnerships are helping vulnerable communities gain access to better treatment, education, vocational training and dignified livelihoods.
The minister also congratulated the organisations as well as the businesses that were honoured with recognition awards on the occasion for their outstanding CSR contributions.
Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) Senior Vice President Saquib Fayyaz Magoon said Karachi has always stood unmatched in Pakistan when it comes to philanthropy, charity and social welfare. The city’s residents and institutions have consistently shown exemplary commitment to helping those in need, he added.
Magoon said the FPCCI has been actively partnering with the federal and provincial governments to support meaningful interventions in critical areas of public health, including the treatment and prevention of thalassaemia.
The FPCCI has also launched initiatives such as Launchpad Pakistan to nurture entrepreneurial talent among university students and prepare them to become future business leaders and industrialists, he added.
He said the FPCCI has also collaborated with the Sindh government and the Sindh Higher Education Commission to organise exhibitions showcasing viable startup ideas, innovative products and business plans developed by students.
Karachi traffic police chief Peer Muhammad Shah said that the introduction of the electronic challan system in the city through technologically advanced surveillance cameras has significantly improved compliance with traffic laws and safety rules.
Before the system’s introduction, road accidents had been claiming up to 90 lives a month in Karachi, but that figure has now dropped to around 40-50 fatalities a month due to stricter enforcement, he added.
He said traffic police remain committed to saving lives through stronger road discipline and better driving practices. He added that he would not oppose any legislative move by the provincial assembly to rationalise e-challan fines.
Stressing the broader environmental and public safety dimensions of traffic management, he said action is also being taken against smoke-emitting vehicles. He suggested the promotion of electric bikes to reduce harmful emissions in the city.
IHHN Founder and President Dr Abdul Bari Khan thanked the Sindh government’s continued support in expanding the institution’s healthcare services across the province under the public-private partnership framework.
Community Policing Karachi (CPK) chief Murad Ali Soni informed the audience that the CPK has installed a network of 2,000 high-tech surveillance cameras to help combat street crime in the city.
SITE Association of Industries President Abdul Rehman Fudda highlighted the humanitarian work of Al-Khidmat Foundation’s Aghosh Homes, which are providing shelter, care and education to orphaned and homeless children across the country.
NJV School Management Board CEO Muhammad Moosa said Pakistan cannot truly progress unless quality education is provided to the country’s nearly 25 million out-of-school children.
Earlier, NFEH President Muhammad Naeem Qureshi had said the CSR Summit is held every year to provide a common platform for the government, the private sector, NGOs, charities and the civil society to work together for poverty alleviation, environmental protection and the uplift of marginalised communities.
Qureshi said the NFEH has also been working closely with public and private sector partners to promote large-scale tree planting campaigns and sustainable environmental practices in the country.
NFEH General Secretary Ruqiya Naeem and Vice President Nadeem Ashraf also spoke on the occasion and appreciated the outstanding CSR contributions made by various companies and institutions.
