World Bank delegation attends presentation on SPHF programme – Pakistan

KARACHI: The Executive Directors of the World Bank visited Pakistan for the first time in two decades and attended a presentation on the Sindh People’s Housing for Flood-Affected (SPHF) programme in CM House on Friday, under which 900,000 housing units are under construction.

Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon, Minister of Planning and Development Nasir Shah, and the Chief Secretary welcomed the delegation and provided a comprehensive briefing on the housing project to accommodate flood-affected individuals.

Sharjeel Memon credited Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party, and Murad Ali Shah, the Chief Minister of Sindh, for their leadership in disaster response, which included emergency relief and long-term rehabilitation efforts. He reported that over 900,000 houses are currently under construction in Sindh, making this the largest housing initiative in the world.

Khalid Mehmood Shaikh, the CEO of SPHF, highlighted the project’s significant impact in providing sustainable housing solutions for flood victims.

The Chief Secretary of Sindh emphasised the importance of World Bank funding for the WASH project as part of the SPHF program, utilising their IDA grant. The World Bank delegation praised the initiative, acknowledging it as a model worthy of global recognition.

The Chief Secretary expressed gratitude for the Bank’s ongoing support, highlighting its crucial role in the success of SPHF.

One of the Executive Directors from the World Bank praised the initiative’s transparency and impact, stating, “The Sindh Housing Project made us proud when it was recently showcased in the (World Bank) meeting in Nepal. The transparency demonstrated by the project is highly commendable.

The meeting was attended by Provincial Minister Jam Khan Shoro, Haji Ali Hassan Zardari, and concerned provincial secretaries. The 25-member delegation was led by Executive Directors (EDs) from various countries, including Beatrice Maser (Switzerland), Robert Nicholl (Australia), Terea Solbes (Spain), Zainab Ahmaed (Nigeria), Abdelhak Bedjaoui (Algeria), Lonkhulueko Magagula (Eswatini), Marlene Nzengou (Central African Republic), Tauqir Shah (Pakistan), and Paul Bonmartin (France).

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