CM orders beautification of Karachi on eve of naval exercises

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday reviewed over all arrangements for Aman-19 Naval Exercises to be held from February 8 to 12 and directed divisional administration and police to take necessary measures for the beautification of the city and proper security.

This he directed at a meeting presided over by him at the Chief Minister’s House and attended by Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar, Vice Admiral Asif Khaliq, Principal Secretary to CM Sajid Jamal Abro, Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shahlwani, Additional IG Karachi Dr Ameer Shaikh and representatives of Corps Headquarter, Pakistan Navy and DG Rangers office.

Vice Admiral Asif Khaliq told the chief minister that Pakistan Navy had been holding multinational Maritime Exercise Aman biennially since 2007. It is the 6thexercise of Aman series to be held in Karachi.

The chief minister was informed that the main aim of the exercise was to bring the world navies together and enhance interoperability with regional and extra regional navies.

The chief minister said that the exercise would project Pakistan’s image as a country contributing towards regional peace and stability.

It may be noted that the Exercise Aman-19 will be a mammoth event in which 40 countries are going to participate with ships, aircraft, special operation forces and observers.

The meeting was told that during the exercise, various cultural events, sightseeing tours, international band display and sports competitions would be held.  Concurrently, the International Maritime Conference will also be held at a local hotel.

The chief minister directed the Karachi Mayor to make the city beautiful and start lifting the debris piled up due to removal of the encroachments.

He also directed the Additional IG Karachi to make necessary security arrangements in consultation with Pakistan Navy. A similar instruction was also issued to Pakistan Rangers.