The three day 21st My Karachi Exhibition has kicked off at the Expo Centre under the Karachi Chamber of Commerce, with stalls set up by more than 300 Pakistani companies.
According to sources, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah inaugurated the exhibition. The opening ceremony was attended by Provincial Minister for Industries Jam Ikram, prominent businessman Arif Habib, Zubair Motiwala, other industrialists, and diplomats from various countries. Pakistani products have been given priority display at the My Karachi Exhibition.
Addressing the opening ceremony, the Sindh Chief Minister congratulated the organizers and the business community. He said the exhibition has become an important event for the city’s business, culture, and community. He recalled that My Karachi was launched 20 to 21 years ago during difficult times for the city and has now become a permanent part of Karachi’s annual calendar.
Murad Ali Shah said the government needs the cooperation of every individual to keep the city safe. He expressed condolences for the martyrs of the Gul Plaza incident and said efforts were made to compensate for the losses. Distribution of one million rupees each to the families of the deceased has begun. He added that the Karachi Chamber provided a list of Gul Plaza shopkeepers, and affected shopkeepers are being given five hundred thousand rupees each. Compensation will also be paid after assessing losses to business goods. He thanked builders who helped by providing temporary shops to the affected traders and said that within two months, financial assistance and alternative locations would be provided. He assured that the same number of shops would be rebuilt at Gul Plaza as existed before.
The Chief Minister said that ten billion rupees would be spent on industrial infrastructure by June this year. He encouraged industrial associations to work on development projects themselves. He said the cabinet has approved eighteen billion rupees for the Karachi mayor, talks have been held with the Frontier Works Organization, and twenty one billion rupees have been allocated separately for infrastructure improvement. He highlighted that Karachi is Pakistan’s financial and commercial hub, contributing 25 percent of national production and 90 percent of Sindh’s economy. Karachi Port and Port Qasim further enhance the city’s trade importance.
Murad Ali Shah said that due to the efforts of the provincial government and law enforcement agencies, the city is now safer and more stable. A reduction in terrorism and improved civic management have opened new opportunities for growth. He stressed that security is an ongoing process and said they will not rest until every citizen and investor in Karachi feels safe. He added that the business community is playing a key role in shaping Karachi’s future and increasing Karachi’s share in national exports remains a priority.
The Chief Minister said Sindh is the backbone of Pakistan’s energy sector, producing about 65 percent of the country’s natural gas. Despite this, gas shortages are affecting industrial production and competitiveness. He assured that efforts will continue to ensure fair energy supply for Sindh’s industries. He said the government will work to rebuild trust with the private sector, ensure policy clarity, and strengthen business partnerships. He added that Karachi’s success is a shared responsibility of the government, private sector, civil society, and citizens. He also mentioned there is pressure to reduce e challan fines.
Murad Ali Shah said the law requires annual fire audits of buildings, which are conducted by Civil Defence under the control of the Home Department. He noted that the Home Department has multiple responsibilities including law and order. Civil Defence and district administrations are reviewing buildings and preparing reports. He said that spending more funds on the fire brigade could improve the situation.
He further said that work is underway on the K IV project in collaboration with the World Bank. To meet Karachi’s water needs, desalination will be necessary. He quoted the World Bank president as saying that infrastructure cannot be improved without private sector participation. He added that the federal government also recognizes Sindh’s public private partnership model. He said he cannot make people sleep early, but he can make them wake up early, and stressed that the government urgently needs public cooperation. He urged all stakeholders to work together, saying that together they can provide better infrastructure for the city.
