THATTA, Jan 13: The Sindh Coastal Highway along Thatta and Badin coastline would usher in infrastructure development and give a boost to national and provincial economies, said Sindh Minister on Works and Services Manzoor Hussain Wassan. The Phase-I of 90km long coastline runs between Thatta and Badin.

He was talking to journalists at the residence of Thatta PPP MPA Rukhsana Shah after inspecting the construction work of the highway on Tuesday.

The project, he said, would connect future link roads of more than 80 villages, jetties and industries.

He hoped that this would improve the socio-economic conditions of the area by generating economic activity and job opportunities.

The development of seafood industry would be a boon to fishing community as the institution of storage and transportation facilities would minimise their losses he said adding that some 900,000 people would likely benefit from the development of this highway.

Briefing about Phase-II, the minister said that the 279km long project would link Dhabeji in Thatta district to Ali Bandar in Badin.

These tracks would provide picnic points, revitalise

Keti Bandar and alleviate poverty with the opening up of new investment opportunities, he said.

Commenting on the probability of alliance between PML-Q and PML-N, the minister said that these were two different political entities as the former was the brainchild of Pervez Musharraf and latter creation of Ziaul Haq. He said that Mian Nawaz Sharif was an opponent of Pervez Musharraf hence united Muslim League was out of question.

Mr Wassan said that if the MQM moved a bill for provincial autonomy, the PPP as a coalition partner would support them. He hoped that PPP would capture the office of chairman Senate.

The minister said that former MNA Babu Ghulam Hussain and former MPA Arbab Wazir Memon from Thatta were aspirants of Senate seat.