Sindh generates 60 percent of national revenue, says Murad.

KARACHI -- Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that Sindh is the most urAbanized province of Pakistan with KaraAchi, its capital city, being the country's major financial and trade hub.

Addressing a 38-member delegation of Foreign Service Academy, consisting of diplomats from China, Afghanistan and Pakistan, here at the CM House on Monday, Murad said, 'The province genAerates over 60 percent of the country's tax revenue; contributes a big chunk of oil and gas resources to the national economy, and it is also a power house of the country, having 175 billion tonnes of coal and a huge wind corridor that can generate 50,000 MWTs of electricity.'

The CM said that although Sindh was a resource rich province, overall poverty levels here were estimated to be around 43 percent; with 75.5 percent only in ruAral areas.

He said that Sindh required 6 to 7 perAcent annual growth rate in order to be able to create 600,000 plus jobs in the private sector every year. 'Public expenAditures and investments are expected to be the major drivers for growth in the province and the country,' he said.

Talking about the `Ease of Doing BusiAness (EDB)', the chief minister said that was an index published by the World Bank every year at the end of October. 'It is an aggregate of different parameters which define the ease of doing business in a country,' Murad said, and added that the EDB report in 2019 had placed PakiAstan at 136th position, out of 190 counAtries, which was an improvement by 11 positions as the country was at 147th position in 2018.

He said that his government had worked on reforming the regulatory atmosphere for Ease of Doing BusiAness in order to enhance the ranking of Pakistan. 'Karachi has 65 percent share in the ranking whereas Lahore's share stands at 35 percent,' he explained.

Talking about improving business cliAmate in the province, Murad said that the Sindh government had made dedicated efforts in this regard. 'SEPA has reduced Environmental checklists process from 30 to 15 days; the KWSB has reduced time for commercial connections from 61 to...