SIALKOT: Special Assistant to Chief Minister (SACM) Punjab on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that the federal and provincial governments are working to solve problems of the business community as well as labourers.
She expressed these views while addressing a luncheon, organised by the Sialkot business community here on Saturday.
Dr Firdous said the government had taken various initiatives for betterment of different sectors including Kisan card for farmers, universal health card for deserving families and special packages for industries and business community in the budget.
She said that the budget had been designed according to the needs of the public. She said that the government was taking important steps for the development of the industry.
Dr Firdous said that according to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision, all sectors of industries had been paid equal attention. She said in the past, labourers were not given their rights.
The SACM said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, revolutionary steps were being taken to solve problems of industrialists, adding that the government was providing opportunities to all industrialists to take the country forward collectively.
Dr Firdous said that due to the government’s economic reforms, the country’s exports had increased by a record 18%.
She said that Sialkot exports had increased by 32%. She said that by using digitization, more than 18% revenue was collected.
The SACM said the Punjab government would spend Rs 380 billion on construction, expansion and repair of roads in Punjab.
Dr Firdous said that Sialkot represented Pakistan globally and Rs 350 million had been allocated for Sialkot Tannery Zone (STZ).
She said Rs 10 billion had been allocated for providing soft loans to the youth. She said that an Engineering and Technology University was being constructed in Sialkot with a cost of Rs 16 billion.
She said that the Punjab government, under the supervision of Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, had given a COVID-19 relief fund of Rs 106 billion.
Tahir Mahmood Hundali, General Secretary Sialkot Business Group Humayun Riaz Sheikh, Ahsan Naeem Bhutta, Sheikh Ehsan Elahi, Irfan Raghib, Sheikh Ali Afzal, Sheikh Ehtesham Thapar, local industrialists, manufacturers and labourers were also present.
