India should now reopen Khokhrapar border crossing: Sindh governor

KARACHI: Sindh Governor Imran Ismail has said that Pakistan is ready to reopen the Khokhrapar border crossing with India but this time its eastern neighbour (India) should take the initiative to this effect.

The Sindh governor talked about the possibility of reopening of the third border crossing with India after Wagah and Kartarpur in Punjab while responding to a question of a newsman about the border crossing in District Tharparkar of Sindh. The Sindh governor was talking to newsmen and earlier addressing on the second day of the 14th Build Asia Exhibition here at the Expo Centre on Sunday.

“If India extends the hand of friendship to us, then we are ready to open more border crossings,” said the Sindh governor. He recalled that Prime Minister Imran Khan had decided to reopen the Kartarpur border to facilitate movement of Sikh pilgrims who wanted to visit one of their holiest sites in Pakistan. "Since independence Pakistan has survived without any help from India as there will not be any assistance required from it in future as well", he said and added: “We need talks (with India) on basis of equality.”

Talking on the Kashmir issue, he said that the peace in the region would only be possible through the resolution of Kashmir issue. The governor said that situation in Pakistan was highly favourable for investment due to normalization of peace situation. Imran Ismail said that the exhibition was like a contribution for the growth of construction industry in the country. He said that the government would fully support the organisers of the exhibition.

The governor said that the federal government had taken a serious notice of gas supply suspension to industries in the province. He said that the government believed in resolving such issues through talks.

Imran Ismail said that the present federal government had given assurance to the concerned stakeholders that no relevant government department would create hurdles for industries in future. He said that the government had finalized arrangements to supply gas to industries and the CNG sector in the province on a priority basis. He said that curtailment of gas supply would lead to economic loss of the country. “We used to ask the question as for what reason gas supply should be stopped (to the industries),” said the governor.

The Sindh governor said that the provincial government was reluctant to cooperate with him regarding development projects being built in the province with the financial support of the federal government. He said that the provincial government was not responding to him in this regard. He said that impediments were being created to discourage the federal government from completing development projects in the province. “I fail to understand what risk the Sindh government senses from me. I’m not invited to attend the meetings of (provincial) apex committee as I don’t know on what account the Sindh government is frightened of me,” said the governor. He said that federal government continued to provide funding for its ongoing development projects in Sindh as he himself was supervising completion of such schemes. “We always try to shake hands with Sindh government as we don’t know why they are reluctant to cooperate with us in this regard. We are with the Sindh government for the sake of law and order and in the greater interest of the country,” he said.

Commander Karachi Rear Admiral Asif Khaliq performed the ribbon cutting on the second day of the exhibition. He said that new horizons were opening for Pakistan. He said that foreigners were visiting Pakistan while realizing the potential of the country. He said the exhibition would prove as a platform for foreign investment.

On the second day of Build Asia Exhibition, a large number of foreign delegates and business leaders visited various stalls. Khursheed Nizam, President, E-Commerce Gateway Pakistan that is the organizer of the event, said that many agreements were signed with foreign companies on the occasion of exhibition. He also said that foreign and local businessmen were showing keen interest in various items displayed at the exhibition.