Finance Minister of Punjab Makhdoom Hashim Jawan said on Wednesday that the Punjab government was establishing a Software Technology Zone in Lahore for export growth and to generate employment opportunities. He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of newly renovated LCCI historic Amin Hall. LCCI President Mian Tariq Misbah, Senior Vice President Muhammad Nasir Hameed Khan, Vice President Tahir Manzoor Chaudhry, foremer President Mian Misbah-ur-Rehman and President The Bank of Punjab Zafar Masud also spoke on the occasion. The provincial finance minister said that Lahore was going to be a major hub of business activities in future. The government has received Rs26 billion from the auction of plots of Central Business District Lahore. He said that the LCCI proposals would be made part of the Annual Development Plan and a sum of Rs10 billion had been reserved for this purpose. “Role of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry has always remained positive and gave good input to the government,” he added. He said the government had adopted strategies to flourish the industrial sector so that it could produce job opportunities at mass level. Hashim said that the private sector had an important role to play for the economy while the role of government was to act as a facilitator. He said that both the government and private sector needed to change and make innovations. Without industrial development, economic prosperity was beyond the imagination therefore the government was taking sustainable measures to get the desired results. He said that the government had also ensured that laws, rules and regulations should be business friendly. On this occasion, Bank of Punjab President Zafar Masud said that the business community was the backbone of the economy, asserting that the bank was providing exceptional banking products and services on priority to the business community. He also appreciated the efforts of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. LCCI President Mian Tariq Misbah said the government should take the business community on board regarding trade and industry related decisions. He said, the primary objective of LCCI was to protect the interests of the business community while remaining committed to the cause of development of the country. There were a number of issues that must be tackled on priority. Mian Tariq Misbah said that the government should help the business community to cope with the challenges. “It is not only vital to accelerate trade and economic activities but also a must for trust building between the government and the private sector,” he said. He informed the minister about various measures the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry had taken to facilitate its members including establishment of various facilitation desks of the government departments. Earlier, Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht, LCCI President Mian Tariq Misbah, Seniro Vice President Muhammad Nasir Hameed Khan, Vice President Tahir Manzoor Chaudhry and President The Bank of Punjab Zafar Masud jointly inaugurated the newly renovated and historic “Amin Hall” of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry.