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KARACHI, Jul 25 (APP):Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah met with Ms. Elizabeth Horst, Chargé d’Affaires of the United States of America to Pakistan, to discuss the progress and future of U.S. development assistance in the province.
The meeting was held at CM House and was attended by provincial ministers Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Principal Secretary to CM Agha Wasif, Chairman P&D Board Najam Shah.
The USA delegation members were Consul General Scott Urbom, Deputy Consul General Jai Nair, Chief Political & Economics Section Shelley Saxen, Political Officer Trevor Earnshaw, Political Specialist Saleh Shah and Staff Assistant Charles Besnard.
The two sides reviewed completed initiatives and explored future collaboration opportunities in the fields of education, water and sanitation, health, climate resilience, and municipal services.
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah reaffirmed his government’s commitment to deepening its partnership with USAID. He outlined several areas where USAID’s continued support is critical:
The CM said that his government seeks USAID’s assistance in addressing post-2022 flood reconstruction needs, with over 20,000 schools fully or partially damaged. The province aims to restore educational infrastructure and scale up quality teaching through ICT and teacher training.
Murad Shah said that under the WASH project, there is a dire need for immediate rehabilitation of 799 water supply schemes, 444 drainage systems, and 1,212 RO/UF plants is underway. He proposed an additional 504 filtration units for schools and health facilities.
Climate-Resilient Settlement Planning:
The CM said that his government is launching GIS-based planning in 3,000 rural villages, aiming to benefit 264,000 households and protect 1.5 million people living outside high-risk flood zones.
The Chief Minister sought co-financing with USAID for constructing new Basic Health Units (BHUs), Rural Health Centres (RHCs), and Mother & Child Health Centres in underserved areas. Upgrades of existing BHUs and hospitals to modern standards are also planned, including solar energy systems and telemedicine support.
Laboratory Expansion and Disease Surveillance: Ms. Elizabeth Horst, US Chargé d’Affaires, was told that was expanding its lab network, including BSL-III level facilities in Karachi and BSL-II labs in all district headquarters hospitals. USAID’s technical and financial assistance is requested for equipment, personnel training, and lab information systems development.
The Chief Minister appreciated USAID’s long-standing partnership, highlighting the successful completion of several transformative programs.
Municipal Services Delivery Program (MSDP): The CM said that the MSDP concluded in June 2025, the project revitalised water supply, sewage disposal, and solid waste management systems in Jacobabad. Equipment and infrastructure have been handed over to local councils. “However, the Government of Sindh (GoS) awaits the reimbursement of the remaining committed amount of $3.501 million from USAID,” he said.
Improved Access to Water and Sanitation Services (WASH), The WASH implemented in District Umerkot and District Tank (KP) with a cost of $7.6 million, the project successfully improved WASH infrastructure and community engagement. Rehabilitation of non-functional water supply schemes has been completed.
Pakistan Climate Financing Activity (PCFA): A $ 10 million USAID initiative being executed by Chemonics is supporting Sindh in mobilising climate finance. A dedicated Climate Planning & Development Unit (CPDU) is being proposed to institutionalise these efforts.
Concluded in August 2024, the SBEP program constructed 106 schools in 10 districts for $165 million, enhancing access to quality education for thousands of students.
The Chief Minister praised USAID’s instrumental role in supporting Sindh’s development journey and expressed hope that the collaboration will continue to grow in scale and impact. “USAID has been a transformative partner in advancing inclusive, resilient, and people-centred development in Sindh,” he stated. Elizabeth Horst acknowledged the Sindh government’s proactive role and reiterated the United States’ commitment to supporting Pakistan’s sustainable development through focused and effective cooperation.