Daily Times

A delegation of Bahawalpur Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry led by its President Sherry Arshad Khan called on Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at 90-SQA on Wednesday.

Talking on this occasion, the chief minister said that women’s participation in the industrial process would strengthen the provincial economy. He added that the development of the industrial sector has been fully focused by the government and six special economic zones are being established in the province. Four more special economic zones will be notified soon and it is for the first time that SEZs are being established in backward districts of the province. The comprehensive industrial development policy is bearing positive fruit, he added.

The chief minister disclosed that a programme has been devised by the Punjab government to provide soft loans to the youth and women have also been included in it. The loan conditions have been eased more for the women, he added. He said that the office of Punjab Board of Investment & Trade will also be established in southern Punjab. Meanwhile, instructions have been issued to release funds for bone marrow transplant centre in Bahawal Victoria Hospital in Bahawalpur. The industrial development will boost employment opportunities in southern Punjab. The problems being faced by Bahawalpur Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry will be solved on priority basis and opening of its sub-office in Lahore will be examined as well, he added. The chief minister welcomed the proposal of holding Rohi Mela in Bahawalpur and assured all our cooperation as such carnivals help in the promotion of local handicrafts. He asked the businesswomen to take benefit of investment opportunities as conducive environment is provided for trade and investment. He said that Pakistan has been economically stabilized under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan and investors’ confidence has been restored due to the solid policies of the government. Today, Pakistan is moving towards development and prosperity and it is open for investment. The investors will not face any difficulty, assured the chief minister. Sherry Arshad Khan said that it is a matter of pride for them that Chief Minister Usman Buzdar belongs to southern Punjab.

Mussarat Jamshed Cheema MPA, Vice Chairman LDA Sheikh Muhammad Imran and others were also present on this occasion.

Meanwhile, Buzdar accorded approval to the establishment of a safari park in DG Khan over an area of 500 acres. Along with one big and four small enclosures, children’s park and other necessary facilities would be provided to the visitors. Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has directed to immediately start trees plantation in this park adding that this project should be operationalised as soon as possible to provide quality recreational facilities to the people of southern Punjab. He maintained that people of southern Punjab have limited opportunities for recreation and this area was kept backwards in the past with regard to development as well as recreational facilities. The safari park project would provide the best recreational facilities to the people, he added. The meeting which was held under the chair of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar was also attended by provincial wildlife & fisheries minister Asad Khokhar, secretaries of finance, forests, wildlife & fisheries departments, DG wildlife and others.

Separately, Rangers Punjab DG Maj Gen. Muhammad Aamir Majeed called on Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at 90-SQA on Wednesday. At the outset, the chief minister paid rich tributes to the services rendered by Punjab Rangers for maintaining peace as well as protection of boundaries and added that nation is proud of its brave rangers who have played the role of a valiant vanguard for maintaining peace. The Punjab Rangers is rendering yeoman service for the protection of boundaries and it is the pride of the nation, he added.

The chief minister emphasized that the country’s defence is impregnable and the enemy cannot see towards Pakistan with a wicked eye. The unprecedented successes of security forces in the war against terrorism are an immortal print in the annals of history as no other country has rendered such invaluable sacrifices. Pakistan is a peaceful country today because its brave sons have written history with their precious blood, concluded the chief minister.

Also, Buzdar condoled the death of former IG Police Mian Aslam Hayat Khan Manika and extended sympathies to the bereaved heirs. He prayed that may Allah Almighty rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage and strength to the members of the bereaved family to bear the loss with equanimity.