LAHORE, May 31 (APP): Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Youth Affairs Usman Dar, while leading a delegation of industrialists and businessmen, called on Provincial Industries and Commerce Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal here at the Civil Secretariat on Monday.
During the meeting they discussed matters pertaining to Sialkot Surgical City, Export Processing Zone and Tanneries Zone Sialkot.
On this occasion, the Provincial Minister informed the delegation that Sialkot Surgical City project had been incorporated in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) of the upcoming Punjab budget for financial year 2021-22, adding that PC-I of the project would be worked out after having due consultation with all stakeholders.
Mian Aslam Iqbal disclosed that a multi-purpose industrial testing laboratory would also be set up with an estimated cost of Rs 1.75 billion, asserting that issues of Sialkot Export Processing Zone (SEPZ) would be sorted out within next two weeks and in this connection, federal government would be taken into loop.
The Punjab government has also calculated an estimate of Rs 400 million for infrastructural development in the process zone, while Rs 500 million would be spent on infrastructure in the Tanneries Zone Sialkot and around 500 tanneries of Sialkot city would be shifted to this zone, he maintained.
He said that an independent institution was preparing the study report of Punjab Infrastructure Development Cess and a final decision to this effect would then be taken in the light of that report.
On this occasion, Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Youth Affairs Usman Dar said that with the revival of Sialkot Export Processing Zone, this export-oriented city alone could enhance country’s export revenue up to five billion dollar. He was of the view that the SEPZ project would prove to be a game changer and its revival was need of the hour.
On behalf of industrialists and business community of Sialkot, Usman Dar also thanked the provincial minister for paying heed to their problems.
Present on the occasion were Provincial Secretary Industries and Commerce Wasif Khursheed, Punjab Board of Investment and Trade (PBIT) CEO Dr. Arfa Iqbal, Surgical Instruments Manufacturers Association (SIMA) Chairman Zeshan Tariq, office-bearers of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry and officers of other relevant departments.