Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar has predicted economic growth in coming days, saying that things have started moving in the right direction.
Speaking at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Tuesday, he said that dollar rate is no more being controlled artificially as was being done in the past. The Punjab governor inaugurated two new conference halls at LCCI.
He also visited the one window operation facility started by LCCI and hailed the services for the members, saying It is heartening to see the one window facility and termed the LCCI a role model for other chambers of Pakistan. “Visionary leadership always set big goals and also achieve them”, he added.
The governor said that all concerns of the business community are genuine and resolution of these issues would help to boost the national economy manifold. The Punjab governor said that this government has reduced the import bill and also the current account deficit significantly. No other government has achieved what we have in two years. He said that bold steps taken by the government will soon borne fruits and the business community concerns will be addressed shortly.
He also assured the business community that he would arrange meetings of LCCI members with concerned government officials for resolution of their issues. Speaking about the high tariff of energy, he said that agreements signed by previous governments with IPPs are being renegotiated and hopefully prices of electricity will be reduced.
The LCCI president stressed the need for Industrial zone in Lahore. He said the existing Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Estate and Sundar Industrial Estate are already saturated and there is no space available to set up new industrial units.
He said that LCCI has worked closely with LDA and identified many sites for industrial zoning of Lahore Division. He asked the Punjab governor to use his office to help the business community in this regard as the summery from LDA has already been approved by the Punjab CM in 2017 but notification in this regard has not been issued till to date. Government should issue notification immediately, he added.
The LCCI chief demanded that government should regularize all existing industrial units established at Ferozpur Road, Shahdara Road, Multan Road, Raiwind Road, Bund Road, Kasur Road and Katar Bund Road etc without any conversion charges.
LCCI Chief also shared the parking issue in the big markets of Lahore and requests him to expedite the construction of parking plazas in the major markets of Lahore. LCCI Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Aghar, Vice President Mian Zahid Jawaid Ahmad, former office-bearers – Mian Misbahur Rehman, Mian Tariq Misbah, Zeshan Khalil, Khadim Hussain, Zeshan Sohail Malik, Haris Ateeq, Haji Muhammad Asif, Arshad Khan, Shehzad Aslam, Khalid Usman, Amir Anwar, Fiaz Haider and Wasif Yousaf were also present on the occasion.
