Federal Minister for Industries and Production Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Rahim Yar Khan Dr Khurram Shahzad, visited an industrial estate on Sunday. Talking to a delegation of industrialists during his visit, the federal minister said that progress in the fields of industries and engineering could boost the development of the country. He said the government was committed to improving the living standards of the masses and providing all the basic facilities. He also said the second phase of 317 acres Industrial Estate would be approved shortly which will comprise more facilities. He said that a road would be constructed from Industrial Estate to Iqbalabad to connect it with CPEC. He said Bahawalpur and Gujranwala were being made exemplary divisions for industrial estates. He assured the delegation that the supply of gas to the industrial estate would be made at the earliest. He also told the delegation that he would raise issues related to returning withholding tax and reduction in sales tax at the government level and with FBR. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to visit Bahawalpur on August 11 in order to announce Bahawalpur Electric Power Company (BEPCO) and construction of road from Bahawalpur to Jhangra to connect Bahawalpur Industrial Zone with CPEC at a cost of Rs4 billion. Besides, the prime minister is also expected to inaugurate the South Punjab Secretariat in Bahawalpur.