Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah met a World Bank delegation in Karachi on Saturday to discuss key development projects. The focus was on the launch of the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) project and the progress of flood-relief housing initiatives. The meeting took place at CM House, with senior World Bank officials including Managing Director Anna Bejarred and Country Director Naji Bin Hussein in attendance.
Both sides agreed to effectively launch the WASH project, which aims to improve clean water access and sanitation across Sindh. The initiative will focus on 3,200 flood-hit villages, aiming to raise hygiene standards and improve public health. CM Murad said the project would benefit 1.5 million people, with a total budget of $270 million. Funding sources include $75m from the World Bank, $13m from the Islamic Development Bank, $100m from the Asian Development Bank, and $100m from the Sindh government.
The chief minister also updated the delegation on the Sindh People’s Housing Project, launched after the 2022 floods. He noted that the floods affected over 12 million people and destroyed 2.1 million homes. So far, the province has opened 120,000 bank accounts for eligible families and given aid to 1.15 million people. More than 750,000 house foundations are ready, while 500,000 homes are nearing completion.
In a notable step for women’s empowerment, the project has issued 900,000 land ownership certificates in women’s names. CM Murad added that these efforts have created over one million jobs, helping flood-affected communities recover both socially and economically. The World Bank team praised the initiative’s scale and community impact.
During their visit, the delegation also toured a photo gallery inside CM House that featured legendary women of Pakistan, including Fatima Jinnah. They admired the historical architecture and appreciated the cultural presentation. A day earlier, CM Murad and Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari had joined World Bank officials to inspect housing projects in Shaheed Benazirabad, where the Bank reaffirmed its long-term support.