The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Monday congratulated Maryam Nawaz for becoming the first-ever woman Chief Minister of Punjab and welcomed her pledge to make Punjab and economic hub. LCCI President Kashif Anwar, Senior Vice President Zafar Mahmood Chaudhry and Vice President Adnan Khalid Butt said here that it is a historic moment and the business community pins high hopes on the Punjab Chief Minister and is optimistic that she would live up to the expectations of people of Punjab and would record matchless achievement in its economy. “Five year agenda including making Punjab an economic hub, establishment of more IT parks, plan to give relief to the masses, cheaper solar panels, collaboration with Rescue 1122 for motorway ambulance service, equal quality of education between private and government schools and state-of-the-art hospitals in every city show a visionary approach of Chief Minister Punjab,” they added. They said that the development of Punjab would play a key role in emerging Pakistan as a global leader in economy, innovation, poverty alleviation and infrastructure development. “We have all the reasons to believe that Maryam Nawaz has every capacity to perform her responsibilities as Chief Minister of Pakistan in the best possible manner”, the LCCI office-bearers added. They said that a new era would be started in Punjab as new Chief Minister has outlined her government’s commendable priorities. They said it is good to see that Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz has pledged to initiate a new era for Punjab, building on the foundations laid by her father Nawaz Sharif in the 1980s and the exemplary service records set by Shehbaz Sharif. The office-bearers of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that Punjab is facing challenges in healthcare, clean water, education and other sectors which would be tackled with a well-thought strategy. They welcomed the Chief Minister’s pledge to promote IT sector and vow to establish IT Cities in Punjab. They said that housing facilities for the poor would be a welcome step. They said that the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry would supplement all efforts of the Punjab government aimed at economic wellbeing of the country. They said that the Chief Minister would have to evolve a strategy to remove all the impediments to the economic growth. DFPA President Disposable Food Packaging Association (DFPA) Ahsan Shahid on Monday hailed the election of Maryam Nawaz as Chief Minister of Punjab and expressed hopes that she would stabilize the crumbling economy and law and order in the province, besides resolving provincial taxation issues. Ahsan Shahid congratulated Maryam Nawaz for her success and pinned hopes on her for delivering on the economic front. In separate statements, he pointed out the problems hurting the economy, and expressed hope that the new chief minister would take the economy in the right direction. He also assured of their full support in these matters. The DFPA President said the DFPA would add-on to the government efforts aimed at improving the economic well-being of the country. He said her election was encouraging for the business community of Pakistan. “The business community is optimistic that she would live up to the expectations of the people of Pakistan in achieving national goals and under her leadership our beloved country will record tremendous achievements in its economy, democracy and foreign relations,” he said. Ahsan Shahid hoped that Pakistan would emerge as a global leader in innovation, security, poverty alleviation and infrastructure development. He said that the new Chief Minister would have to evolve a strategy to remove all the impediments to economic growth. The DFPA hoped that its recently released proposals would become a part of the budget document. Provincial taxation issues, miseries of the agriculture sector, below the mark growth of large scale manufacturing sector, high energy cost, bureaucratic hurdles and below the mark exports were the biggest barriers to economic growth. The number of taxes and frequency of paying taxes should be reduced. Moreover, taxes should be paid quarterly instead of every month. For that matter, all para tariffs must be merged in the main tariffs. Similarly, there should be electronic communication between taxpayers and tax departments. These proposals can make noticeable difference and win the confidence of taxpayers,” he added. He said the entire business community hopes that the widening trade deficit would be narrowed, and suggested that the only way to address this core issue was to offer another excellent package of incentives to boost the exports manifolds and improve ease of doing business for sustainable economic growth. He hoped she with her diverse experience would contribute towards economic development and do away with red-tape and de-regulations. He hoped that he would focus on tax reforms and promotion of tax culture in every sphere of life. He said all stakeholders should be taken on board to make viable and prudent economic policies to accelerate growth and speed up industrialization across the country. He said soon well-conceived balanced export-oriented charter of economy would be presented to him, which, if implemented, would usher an era of prosperity, progress and development besides improving the socioeconomic condition of the downtrodden.