In light of the recent Gul Plaza tragedy, the Sindh government and the federal Ministry of Commerce have agreed to legislate for the mandatory insurance of large commercial and residential buildings to prevent such tragedies in the future.

This agreement was reached in a high-level meeting on Wednesday, where deep sorrow was expressed over the incident. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah stressed that large projects should be insured. Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan agreed, stating that the insurance requirement would lead to regular inspections of buildings, a process that could significantly help prevent major accidents.

The meeting, held at the Chief Minister’s House between the federal delegation and provincial officials, also discussed key economic sectors including agriculture, livestock, and industrial development.

On the topic of agriculture, Federal Minister Khan said that the concept of crop insurance did not previously exist in Pakistan but necessary steps are now being taken to introduce it. Chief Minister Shah termed crop financing and insurance “extremely necessary,” saying that without such financial support, farmers cannot achieve better yields.

In the livestock sector, officials committed to expediting measures to create and maintain a disease-free animal population. The Chief Minister confirmed that a plan is already underway to establish the Landhi and Gaddap cattle colonies as disease-free zones, with a particular focus on ensuring the complete eradication of foot-and-mouth disease.

The development of Marble City was also on the agenda, with Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Qasim Naveed requesting federal government support for the project. The Chief Minister stated that incentives for the industrial zone were discussed and announced plans to establish a similar Marble City in Sukkur.

The federal delegation, led by Jam Kamal Khan, included Chief Executive TDAP Faiz Ahmed, CEO State Life Insurance Shoaib Javed, and CEO NICL Farman Zarqoon. Provincial officials present at the meeting included Industries Minister Jam Ikramullah Dharejo, Principal Secretary Agha Wasif, and Finance Secretary Fayyaz Jatoi.