LAHORE: While welcoming the inauguration of another industrial estate in Rahim Yar Khan, the business community has urged the government to ensure provision of all facilities to this industrial cluster within the shortest span of time. “This initiative of Punjab government would give expansion to the industrialisation and boost trade and economic activities in the province,” said Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Sheikh Muhammad Arshad, Senior Vice President Almas Hyder and Vice President Nasir Saeed in a joint statement on Friday. They said that another industrial cluster in Punjab would attract foreign investors to do business in Pakistan besides providing an opportunity to the industrialists of south Punjab to expand their industries. They said that the Punjab government deserves appreciation for fulfilling longstanding demand of the businessmen of south Punjab, adding that industrial expansion would help businessmen of Punjab to promote their businesses and would create thousands of new job opportunities. The LCCI office-bearers urged the government to provide sufficient electricity to Rahim Yar Khan industrial estate, as energy is a must to keep the industrial wheel moving. They said that industrial estates and economic zones should be established throughout the country, which would help government get rid of the economic challenges being faced for the decades. These industrial estates and economic zones would strengthen the industrial base, would put economy back on rails besides protecting the national economy from global financial recessions and enable the government to utilise its resources at the targeted industrial areas, they added. “We have to take certain steps to divert investments to industrial sector. There is a dire need to have a specific industrial policy to encourage the private sector representatives to start vigorous industrialization. It will surely help to a great deal in generating employment opportunities,” the LCCI office-bearers said. They added that there is no doubt that with the establishment of economic zones and industrial estates, the present pace of economic development can be enhanced to achieve the desired results. They said that relevant government department should be duty bound to help the industrial estates through one window operation. “We cannot attain results without minimising major constraints and impediments to industrial development. Industrial estates and economic zones do have the potential to lead the process of economic development if administrative bottlenecks are overcome in timely manner,” the LCCI office-bearers added.