KARACHI: A memorandum of understanding was signed between Sindh and Khorasan, Iran, to expand bilateral trade, exchange tourists and cultural delegates and develop agro-industrial and engineering research jointly.

The MoU was signed by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and the governor general of Khorasan during a two-day visit from July 9 to 10 of the Sindh chief minister.

Mr Shah during his two-day stay in Iran visited holy places and shrines in Mashhad and also signed the MoU.

Under the agreement the two sides agreed to start and expand bilateral cooperation between their private and public sectors for exchange of tourists in all areas and at the highest level.

The two sides also agreed to expand cultural-artistic cooperation at par with each other’s capacities and capabilities, including holding of cultural-artistic and food festivals, as well as workshops on painting, music and other artistic fields and visual arts.

They also agreed to initiate and develop economic cooperation and introduce their commercial, agricultural, industrial, engineering, scientific and research potentials to each other, as well as to encourage their relevant private sectors acting in the said areas through supporting the exchange of expert delegations and holding or attending each other’s economic exhibitions.

They also decided to promote investment in various projects in each other’s cities through exchange of necessary information and provision of facilities and special incentives for investors’ interest in participation in investment events.

On the occasion, the chief minister requested the governor of Khorasan to take necessary initiative for provision of maximum facilities to the people of Pakistan, particularly of Sindh, who visit Iran for pilgrimage to holy places.

The governor assured him that he would ensure provision of maximum facilities to Pakistani pilgrims.

The CM thanked the governor for his hospitality.

Mr Shah invited the governor to visit Sindh, which he accepted.

Before returning home on Thursday morning, the chief minister also visited the shrine of Imam Raza, where he met the chairman of the organising committee of the shrine Ahmad Marvi.

He also requested the organising committee chairman and members to provide more facilities to visitors from Pakistan and invited Ahmad Marvi to visit Sindh, which was accepted.

High-security prison in Sindh

A security prison is being constructed in Sindh near Thatta where heinous and hardened criminals would be lodged.

This was stated by Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah during a meeting held on Thursday at the Sindh Secretariat to consider improvements in the condition of prisons.

The meeting, which was attended by officials of the federal and provincial governments, including Federal Ombudsman Syed Tahir Shahbaz, was informed that prisons in the province were overcrowded, where against the total capacity of 13,038 prisoners, a total of 16,739 prisoners were kept.

The chief secretary said that in the budget provision had been made for two new prison buildings, where besides construction of a high-security prison near Thatta, the Malir prison was being extended to increase the capacity for lodging more prisoners.

He said that on the suggestion of the federal ombudsman oversight committees with representation of civil society had been constituted for all prisons in Sindh.

These committees, after visiting the prisons would advise the Sindh government on improving the condition of the prisons.

He also said that the prison system was also being computerised with the assistance of Nadra to enable police, prison administration, prosecutor and court to get all information about every prisoner and the nature of the case.

The officials concerned informed the meeting participants about the measures being taken to help prisoners and enable them to become useful citizens after completion of their term in prison.

Ombudsman Syed Tahir Shahbaz appreciated the measures being taken by the Sindh government, including the Prisons Reforms Act, which he said would not only be made part of the report for submission to the Supreme Court, but would also be shared with other provincial governments.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2019