Sindh to expand support for genuine charities to uplift deprived communities: Nasir Hussain Shah
Karachi
Sindh Senior Minister for Local Government, Housing and Town Planning, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, has said the Sindh government is committed to expanding financial and institutional support for genuine non-governmental organisations and charitable institutions under its public-private partnership model to help ease the suffering of underprivileged communities and ensure their long-term uplift through healthcare, education, skills development and livelihood opportunities.
He was speaking as the chief guest at the Karachi edition of the 18th Annual CSR Summit and Awards-2026, organised by the National Forum for Environment & Health (NFEH) at a local hotel.
Nasir Hussain Shah said that sincere charities and welfare organisations were playing a vital role in reaching those families who remained trapped in poverty, deprivation and hardship, and deserved collective support from both the government and corporate sector. He said the Sindh government, under the pro-people vision of Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, firmly stood with organisations working selflessly to reduce the pain of the poor and create opportunities for a better future for their children.
He said the provincial government had already set a successful example of public-private partnership by supporting leading institutions such as SIUT and Indus Hospital & Health Network to ensure quality healthcare for deserving patients. “We remain fully committed to further expanding this cooperation in the larger interest of deprived communities,” he said.
The minister also praised business, industrial and banking organisations for extending generous support to welfare institutions under their corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitments, saying such partnerships were helping vulnerable communities gain access to better treatment, education, vocational training and dignified livelihoods. He also congratulated the organisations and businesses that received recognition awards for their outstanding CSR contributions.
Speaking on the occasion, FPCCI Senior Vice-President Saquib Fayyaz Magoon said Karachi had always stood unmatched in Pakistan when it came to philanthropy, charity and social welfare. He said the city’s residents and institutions had consistently shown exemplary commitment to helping those in need.
He said the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry had 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 thalassemia. He added that FPCCI had 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 said FPCCI had also collaborated with the Sindh government and Sindh Higher Education Commission to organise exhibitions showcasing viable startup ideas, innovative products and business plans developed by students.
DIG Traffic Karachi Peer Muhammad Shah said the introduction of the electronic challan system in Karachi through technologically advanced surveillance cameras had significantly improved compliance with traffic laws and safety rules. He said that before the system’s introduction, road accidents had been claiming up to 90 lives every month in Karachi, but that figure had now dropped to around 40 to 50 fatalities per month due to stricter enforcement.
He said the traffic police remained committed to saving lives through stronger road discipline and better driving practices. He added that he would not oppose any legislative move by the Sindh Assembly to rationalise e-challan fines. Stressing the broader environmental and public safety dimensions of traffic management, he said action was also being taken against smoke-emitting vehicles and suggested the promotion of electric bikes to reduce harmful emissions in the city.
Dr Abdul Bari Khan, Founder and President of Indus Hospital & Health Network, expressed gratitude for the Sindh government’s continued support in expanding the institution’s healthcare services across the province under the public-private partnership framework.
Murad Ali Soni, Chief of Community Policing Karachi (CPK), informed the audience that CPK had installed a network of 2,000 high-tech surveillance cameras to help combat street crime in Karachi.
Managing Director, Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB), Tariq Ali Nizamani, briefed the participants about the World Bank-funded initiative to modernise and improve Karachi’s urban waste disposal system.
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 Pakistan.
Muhammad Moosa, CEO of NJV School Management Board (NJVSMB), said Pakistan could not truly progress unless quality education was provided to the country’s nearly 25 million out-of-school children.
Earlier, NFEH President Muhammad Naeem Qureshi said the CSR Summit was held every year to provide a common platform for the government, private sector, NGOs, charities and civil society to work together for poverty alleviation, environmental protection and the uplift of marginalised communities. He said NFEH had also been working closely with public and private sector partners to promote large-scale tree plantation campaigns and sustainable environmental practices in the country.
NFEH Secretary-General Ruqiya Naeem and Vice-President Nadeem Ashraf also addressed the gathering and appreciated the outstanding CSR contributions made by various companies and institutions.
