Iran has expressed deep interest in cooperation with KMC for solid waste management, dairy products, slaughtering and energy sector in Karachi. During a meeting with the KMC Administrator Muhammad Hussain Syed in his office, Iranian Consul General Mehdi Subhani assured full cooperation in implementation of bus rapid system in Karachi. Commercial and Economic Councilor Satar Soltan Shahi accompanied him on this visit whereas Senior Director Transport and Communication Muhammad Ather, Incharge Foreign Affairs Ateeq Baig, Director Media Management Ali Hassan Sajid and other officers were also present on this occasion. The city administrator said Karachi was an international city and it offers lot of opportunities to work in various sectors. He said joint projects could be initiated with the cooperation of Iran in mass transit, solid waste management, bus rapid system, slaughtering and infrastructure improvement. The KMC administrator said rapid development was required in the city due to its ever-increasing population and needs of the city. He said he would like to offer Iranian investors and business community to come in Karachi so that more opportunities for mutual trade and joint investment could be created and the trade volume between two neighbor countries could increase. He expressed hope that Pak-Iran friendship would further strengthen with the cooperation in commercial and industrial sector. The administrator informed the Iranian consul general about the visit of Mashhad Mayor Seyed Mohammad Pezhman last year during which various agreements for mutual cooperation were signed including the declaration of Mashhad and Karachi as sister cities. He said Karachi generates over 10,000 tons of garbage on daily basis and nearly 8 to 10 thousand people were working on its removal and sifting for useable things for recycling purpose in an unorganized manner. The garbage collection was made on town and cantonment board level and then shifted to three designated landfill sites of KMC. He said intercity bus system in Karachi had proved successful but the lack of public transport had caused immense trouble for citizens of Karachi. Investors from China and Japan were talked about the improvement in city’s transport system and the Circular Railway System in Karachi would resume in the city this year under cooperation with the JICA. Iranian Consul General Mehdi Sobhani said Iran wants to cooperate with Pakistan in solid waste management, dairy products, meat slaughtering and other sectors. He said he would persuade Iranian Investors to invest in Karachi projects and also suggest his government to promote further cooperation with Pakistan especially for the projects of Karachi so that relations between the two countries could further improve. Iran Consul General delivered invitation to Administrator Karachi from Mashhad Mayor for a visit of Mashhad which he accepted and said that he would soon visit Mashhad on a suitable time.
