A delegation led by Advisor to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) on Industries and Commerce Abdul Kareem Khan called on Provincial Minister for Industries and Commerce Mian Aslam Iqbal at Punjab Board of Investment and Trade (PBIT) here on Tuesday. Both the sides agreed upon mutual cooperation to enhance partnership and promote local investment. The two sides exchanged views on the steps taken for the promotion of investment and reforms made in their respective provinces. On this occasion, the KPK CM’s Advisor Abdul Kareem Khan said that the Punjab government had taken excellent steps to increase investment opportunities and to facilitate the business community. “We want to benefit from the experience of Punjab and increase our partnership with Punjab in the industry and trade sector,” he added. Provincial Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal welcomed the KPK delegation to Punjab and assured that the Punjab government would extend all possible cooperation to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in the industry and trade sector. He said that the Punjab government had set up 23 small industrial estates in the province and 13 special economic zones were also being established in Punjab. There were Sahulat bazaars to provide relief to the masses and one model bazaar would be set up in each tehsil on a permanent basis, he added. The provincial minister said under the Punjab Rozgar Scheme easy loans from Rs100,000 to Rs10 million were also being provided for starting new businesses. He said that the commercial courts were being set up under Punjab Commercial Courts Ordinance 2021. 10 NOCs (No Objection Certificates) had been issued within a year for setting up new cement plants in the province, while billions of rupees of domestic and foreign investment had come to Punjab. He said that the number of students in 403 institutes of TEVTA (Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority) had also been increased from 90,000 to 233,000, he apprized the KPK delegation. Punjab Industry and Commerce Secretary Dr. Wasif Khurshid, Punjab Board of Investment and Trade CEO Dr Erfa Iqbal, Punjab Small Industries Corporation (PSIC) Managing Director Tahir Wattoo, TEVTA CEO, and other officers concerned were also present.