HOUSTON KARACHI SISTER CITY ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT VISIT TO KARACHI
KARACHI VISIT OF PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON KARACHI SISTER CITY ASSOCIATION FEBRUARY 2022
The Houston Karachi Sister City Association (HKSCA) is an official relationship between the two large cities of the world to enhance peace & tranquility through humanitarian assistance, healthcare, and education exchanges: One Person at a Time – One Community at a Time.
During COVID-19 from 2020 till to-date, HKSCA has played positive role in providing necessary services to the people of Houston and Karachi.
When delivering the assistance, HKSCA has done several initiatives on their own, while in some others, has collaborated with top four star charity 501 (c) (3) Non-
Governmental Organization (NGO) of USA named Helping Hand for Relief and Development USA (HHRD USA).
HHRD USA is also registered as International NGO (INGO) with the Ministry of Interior in Pakistan.
Several of the initiatives of HKSCA are supported by Chief Patron Syed Javaid Anwar of Midland Energy, Texas, USA.
With the COVID-19 travel restrictions lessening, President of HKSCA Muhammad Saeed Sheikh decided to visit Pakistan in February 2022 to especially spend time in Karachi, meeting with several diplomatic, governmental, business, healthcare, educational, & civic personalities and entities to boost the aspirations of HKSCA.
One of the intents of the visit was also to create a constructive pathway for near future visit of Mayor of Houston to Karachi & some other cities of Pakistan.
During the initial 3 to 4 days of Muhammad Saeed Sheikh stay in Karachi, Director of Programs of HHRD USA iLyas Hasan Choudry was also in Karachi for his official visit, and was able to arrange some joint activities of HKSCA & HHRD.
Among them were:
1) Inauguration of Tree Plantation Drive at the Consulate of USA in Karachi
Every year in Pakistan, HHRD’s Shining Stars of the Orphan Support Program (OSP) plant around 10,000 trees; including about 1,000 in Karachi.
This year’s original plan was to again plough 10,000 trees in Pakistan, but later on the Children with Disabilities (CWDP); and Skills Development & Livelihood Program (SDLP) has joined the efforts, to make it a 20,000 Tree Plantation effort.
HKSCA is collaborative partner of HHRD in this Tree Plantation effort, especially in Karachi.
Honorable Consul General Mark Stroh of United States in Karachi most graciously accepted to kick start this effort, by planting trees in the Consulate premises on Friday, February 4th, 2021.
Present on the occasion were Hon Consul General Mark Stroh; Hon Karachi Administrator Barrister Murtaza Wahab; Hon Special Assistant to Chief Minister of Sindh Arooba Rashid Rabbani; the President of HKSCA Muhammad Saeed Sheikh; Director of Programs of HHRD iLyas Hasan Choudry; and respectable staff of the Consulate.
HKSCA is partnering with HHRD to plant these trees to increase their coverage and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Mr. Sheikh brief Hon Consul General of all the activities of HKSCA since its inception in 2009; and talked about future initiatives, including delegation visit of Mayor of Houston to Karachi.
Hon Consul General Stroh informed that the U.S. Consulate Karachi is prepared to consort further with the HKSCA, HHRD, Karachi Municipal Corporation, and the Sindh government on environmental initiatives & waste management to increase ties between Karachi and Houston, the 4th largest city in the United States.
2) Tree Plantation at the KINDR Building:
Karachi Institute of Neurological Diseases (KINDR) is an initiative of HHRD, for which a 3 floors hospital building has been purchased along Super Highway 5 miles from the Lyari Expressway in Quetta Town.
By the Grace of God, KINDR will be the largest institute of Neuro & Rehab in Pakistan, which is projected to fully start in January 2024.
At this time, KINDR is taking care of full treatment & rehabilitation needs of 200 Children with Disabilities’ (CWDs), and houses an In-Kind Gifts Cloth Bank.
Around 50 CWDs and Shining Stars Orphans came to KINDR Building on Saturday, February 5th, 2022 to Plant the Trees during these ongoing collaborative efforts of HKSCA & HHRD.
Present on the occasion were Hon Special Assistant to Chief Minister of Sindh Arooba Rashid Rabbani; Famous Entrepreneur & Former President of Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) Majyd Aziz Balagamwala; the President of HKSCA Muhammad Saeed Sheikh; Deputy Country Director of HHRD Pakistan Rizwan Baig; Director of Programs of HHRD iLyas Hasan Choudry; and respectable parents of children & staff of HHRD.
After the Tree Plantation, everyone was given a tour of the facility; and they appreciated the State-of-the-Art Children with Disabilities Center, which has facilities similar to any center in developed countries.
3) Mall of Humanity:
HHRD receives more than 50 Containers every year of Medical Equipment & Supplies to fill the gap of healthcare between USA & Pakistan; Household Items; Clothes; Winter Provisions; School Supplies; and much more.
Some of the Containers are sent in collaboration with HKSCA.
Containers initially come to KINDR Building Cloth Bank (which will be moved once the full-fledged KINDR Hospital will start); and then are properly cleaned & professionally placed in packets to be distributed on occasions called “Mall of Humanity”.
At the Mall of Humanity, a bazar is established by systematically placing the items on tables, and tokens are given to people to come & choose their own items.
This way in orderly and decent manner, highly valuable items are given to the people in need.
One of the Containers from Houston of brand-new items was sent through collaborative efforts of HKSCA & and on Sunday, February 6th, 2022, the nice items were distributed at a Mall of Humanity organized in Chakiwara, Lyari, Karachi.
Lyari is the oldest part of Karachi, and is exceedingly underprivileged and disadvantaged: Can be called a shantytown with over a million residents.
The Mall of Humanity was inaugurated by Muhammad Saeed Sheikh, President HKSCA, and Director Programs Helping Hand for Relief and Development USA ILyas Hasan Choudry.
More than 200 families received clothes, shoes, children’s toys, and other itemsfree of cost from Mall of Humanities.
4) Reverse Osmosis Clean Water System Plant:
Next day Monday, February 7th, 2022 in the same deprived locale of Chakiwara, Lyari, a Reverse Osmosis Clean Water System Plant (RO Plant) established by HHRD & sponsored by HKSCA was inaugurated Hon Karachi Administrator Barrister Murtaza Wahab.
It is crucial for the health of the locales, and provides 10,000 gallon per day to benefit more than 500 persons.
Present on the occasion were Hon Special Assistant to Chief Minister of Sindh Arooba Rashid Rabbani; the President of HKSCA Muhammad Saeed Sheikh; former President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Majyd Aziz Balagamwala; and others.
5) Meeting with Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry:
President KCCI Muhammad Idress hosted visit of Muhammad Saeed Sheikh, President Houston Karachi Sister City Association at Chamber Secretariat. In a joint meeting, Muhammad Saeed Sheikh said to make collective efforts to further
strengthen the existing trade and investment ties between the business communities of Houston and Karachi by exploring new avenues of trade and investment cooperation, encouraging business-to-business & people-to-people interactions along with organizing trade promotional activities including trade delegations’ visits and exhibitions in both the cities. While assuring KCCI’s full support and cooperation to facilitate future trade delegations’ visit from Houston to Karachi, President KCCI Muhammad Idrees informed that KCCI also intends to send a business delegation to Houston this year with an aim to further cement the existing ties between the business communities and explore more areas of trade and investment cooperation which will be hosted by HKSCA.
6) Meeting with the Commissioner of Karachi:
A meeting of HKSCA & HHRD with the Commissioner of Karachi was held to discuss the cooperation in establishing of Urban Forest, sports facilities and drugs rehabilitation center projects.
Karachi Commissioner Muhammad Iqbal Memon met Houston-Karachi Sister Cities Association President Muhammad Saeed Sheikh and Helping Hands for Relief & Development regional Coordinator, Karachi Adeel Choudhry & others to seek cooperation for the community-based projects. Houston-Karachi Sister Cities Association Patron-in-Chief Majyd Aziz and Association President Kashif Ghias also accompanied them.
At the meeting Commissioner Memon said that the Karachi administration is fully supporting Houston- Karachi Sister Cities Association to bring projects and contribute in betterment of Karachi city. In this regard, it has been agreed to further explore the projects of urban forest, sports facilities, and drugs rehabilitation center in the city on mutual cooperation.
7) MEETING WITH AMERICAN BUSINESS COUNCIL:
During the current visit to Karachi, President of Houston Karachi Sister City Association Muhammad Saeed Sheikh met the American Business Council of
Pakistan (ABC) on 28th February 2022 along with the Honorable Muhammad Iqbal Memon Commissioner Karachi to promote bilateral trade between USA & Pakistan.
Other participants present were Mr. Adnan Asad CEO Venus Pakistan & Past President ABC, Ms. Ayesha Tahir Masood Secretary General ABC, Ms. Sarah Irfan External Affairs & Special Projects Coordinator ABC, Mr. Majyd Aziz Chief Patron HKSCA Karachi Chapter, Mr. Kashif Ghyas
President HKSCA Karachi Chapter.
During the meeting Items discussed were Trade Delegations visit to Pakistan and USA. The Secretary General ABC expressed keen interest to be a part of both these visits. Both parties agreed that an interaction between the / delegations and ABC members could help project a positive image of Pakistan as well as build confidence of potential investors.
ABC Secretary General Ms. Ayesha also pointed out potential synergies in the following areas:
- Youth Exchange Program
- Healthcare
- Focusing on creating opportunities for American SMEs
- Inviting General Electric’s top management to Pakistan
It was agreed that another interaction to discuss more details will be conducted shortly.
8) VISIT OF KARACHI PRESS CLUB:
Visit of Karachi Press Club hosted by the Managing Committee along with Karachi Union of Journalists officials. In addition, President HKSCA also appeared on live TV News Shows to promote Houston Karachi Sister City Relationship and highlighted current and future activities.
9) JCI Alumni Event for Muhammad Saeed Sheikh
It was humbling experience for Muhammad Saeed Sheikh, President of HKSC, to be honored at a dinner organized at Ramada Hotel, Karachi Airport on Monday, February 7th, 2022 by the Hyderabad Chapter of Junior Chamber International (JCI).
Started in 1915, JCI is a non-profit international non-governmental organization of young people between 18 and 40 years old, where its’ members are in about 124 countries.
President of HKSCA Muhammad Saeed Sheikh was the former National President Pakistan Junior Chamber and current Senator of Junior Chamber International.
