‘13 SEZ, industrial centres to be set up in Punjab’

Trade minister claims province would become hub of business activities and investment

LAHORE:

Punjab Industries & Trade Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal said on Monday that Punjab government was establishing 13 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and new industrial centres in the province.

Inaugurating a development project of a private sector in his constituency on Monday, he claimed that Punjab would become a centre of investment and business activities. “With the inflow of fresh investment and establishment of new industries, the province will generate respectable employment opportunities for the youth.”

He further said that it was the priority of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government to empower the youth by providing them employment opportunities.

Industries may relocate to Pakistan due to covid-19

The minister vowed, "We will change destiny of the country by creating opportunities for the youth and initiate such projects in the current fiscal year which will help overcome employment problems."

He added that business activities would be enhanced in the province with the help of the tax relief package, worth Rs56 billion, announced by the provincial government.

He highlighted that schemes worth billions of rupees were being introduced for the promotion of SME sector in Punjab and projects promoting economic and industrial activities were being completed on priority. "We are also bringing soft loans programme for reviving the businesses affected due to the coronavirus pandemic and for initiating new businesses," he stated.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2020.