After visiting ancestral home in Khushab, WB President Ajay Banga arrives in Larkana

LARKANA: World Bank Group President Ajay Pal Singh Banga arrived in Larkana on Wednesday, along with a 10-member high-level delegation. This marks a notable visit by the WB focused on flood rehabilitation, community development, and cultural heritage in Sindh.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah received the World Bank president at Mohenjo Daro Airport, where senior provincial officials were also present. The visit underscores the World Bank’s continued engagement with Sindh following last year’s devastating floods.

According to the Chief Minister’s spokesperson, Ajay Banga will travel with the Sindh CM to Bhawal Jat village in Dokri, one of the areas severely affected by flooding. During the visit, the World Bank president will observe community-led rehabilitation efforts, particularly the reconstruction of damaged houses under flood recovery programs supported by international partners.

Banga is also scheduled to meet residents of Bhawal Jat, interact with families rebuilding their lives after the floods, and review the progress of grassroots recovery initiatives aimed at long-term resilience and sustainable development.

Later, the World Bank president will accompany the chief minister on a visit to Mohenjo Daro, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, highlighting the dual focus of the trip on both development financing and the preservation of Sindh’s ancient cultural legacy.

VISIT ROOTED IN HISTORY AND HERITAGE

The Sindh visit follows Ajay Banga’s recent stop in Khushab in Punjab, where he visited his ancestral home and paid homage at Gurdwara Singh Sabha, managed by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). During that visit, Banga reviewed renovation and preservation work at the Gurdwara, examined ancestral records, and praised the ETPB’s efforts to protect Sikh religious heritage and facilitate pilgrims.

Banga lauded Pakistan’s initiatives to preserve historical and religious sites, calling the administrative arrangements and restoration work “commendable.”

Together, the visits reflect a broader message: rebuilding communities, preserving heritage, and strengthening international partnerships, with Sindh now firmly in the global development spotlight.