MULTAN: Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul Wazir has said that 13 special economic zones and industrial estates would be established in Punjab province including Dera Ghazi Khan to provide jobs to thousands of people at their doorstep.
She said that it was a good augury that a private airline has agreed to introduce flights from Dera Ghazi Khan airport which is beneficial for both Punjab and Baluchistan people and is a great gift of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).She was addressing a Iftaar reception hosted by Dera Ghazi Khan Chamber of Commerce & Industry in her honour at the circuit house which was chaired by noted industrialist Khawaja Jalaluddin Roomi President of DGCCI, Ex-President of Multan Chamber of Commerce & Industry, former Punjab caretaker Minister for Industry and ex-chairman Multan Dry port trust. She vowed to make Dera Ghazi Khan an industrial hub in South Punjab and said that she was in close contact with PIA management to restore international as well as domestic flights from Dera Ghazi Khan Airport and she would soon give this good news. She said that more than 0.7 million people travel to Gulf States and other countries from Dera Ghazi Khan to earn foreign exchange for the country.
She underscored that the PTI government paid $10.4 billion on account of debt servicing of external public loans including principal payment of $8.5 billion and $1.9 billion in interest payments. Zartaj Gul said that the past rulers used to get political advantages by misusing the SBP’s authority and they made it a printing machine of currency notes which caused devaluation of our currency. However, Now Government had taken a solid step to empower the SBP which would have far-reaching impact on the economy and it would help control inflation, the minister said. Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Hanif Khan Pitafi said that the problem of unemployment and underemployment confronting South Punjab today is both grave and perplexing and we would suggest developing tax-free zone in less developed areas of the Dera Ghazi Khan division to bring these areas at par with other developed cities. He disclosed that Punjab Government had already approved an industrial estate in Dera Ghazi khan and now we require at least 100 applications from the entrepreneurs, investors so that development works could be executed. Pitafi also assured to use his influence to restore the flights from D.G. Khan airport.
Expressing his concern on the wastage of thousands of gallons of water daily, he asked the Chamber to submit alternate suggestions to save the water. He also expressed his concern on the zero-share of local educated and skilled persons in local industry and projects. Deputy Commissioner Dera Ghazi Khan Capt(r) Muhammad Ali ijaz said, “I am very happy to see Dera Ghazi Khan Chamber functional, active and efficient under the leadership of Khawaja Jalaluddin Roomi.
He assured to do work jointly to resolve the business community’s problems. He disclosed that new industry was coming to Dera Ghazi Khan and we had issued four N.O.C s to cement plants. He stressed the need for making DGCCI the best institution by joining hands with each other. In his welcome address, President of Dera Ghazi Khan Chamber of Commerce & Industry Khawaja Jalaluddin Roomi told the audience that the D.G.Khan chamber was founded four decades ago by him. Now Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Khan Buzdar had announced a piece of land for the construction of a multi-purpose building of the chamber. The land is being acquired at a suitable place to provide facilities of expo-centre and offices of the chamber. Roomi said that it was a great injustice to the people of Dera Ghazi Khan that PIA office offices were being closed after the cancellation of flight operation. However, a private airline nodded to start flight operation for the different destination from Dera Ghazi Khan Airport. He said that Dera Chamber would cooperate with airlines to its extent. He stressed the need for funds to construct an expo-center and an industrial estate without any further delay. Roomi suggested that Government should advance soft loans for small and medium industries on easy installments. He made it clear that the revival of the agriculture sector was imperative to strengthen the country’s economy. He said that Pakistan must be self-sufficient in grains, cotton, sugar, pulses and edible oil to save more the 20 billion dollars per annum. He said that Government should announce the support price of raw cotton (Phutti) which should not be less than Rs.500/ maund to bring maximum area under cotton crop besides per acre subsidy for cotton growers.
Jalaluddin Roomi said, “We have invited Prime Minister Imran Khan to visit Dera Ghazi Khan to announce mega development package for this less-developed area. D.G.CCI gave shields to the minister of state Zartaj Gul Wazir, Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Hanif Khan Pitafi and Deputy Commissioner Dera Ghazi Khan Capt (Retd) Muhammad Ali Ijaz on the behalf of D.G. Khan Chamber. The Iftar reception was also attended by Vice President Sheikh Zahid Nizam Qureshi, Former Presidents Khawaja Muhammad Younas, Zulfikar Ali Khan Nasuha, Barrister Abbas Ali Khan Nasuha, Tariq Ismail Qureshi, Asif Razzaq, Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Mairaj,Hafiz Saifullah Pitafi, Haji-Sheikh Muhammad Ali, Javed Ishaq Mastoi, Firdous Hameed Khan, Haji Muhammad Zubair Nizami, Kashif Siddiq, Khalil Ahmed Aliani, Mian Muhammad Ayyub, Mirza Muhammad Iqbal, Ammar Amjad Khandwa, Mirza Zafar Iqbal, Anwar Jan Leghari, Ch. Khalid Riaz, Muhammad Ali Dasti, Abdullah Durrani,and Secretary-General of DGCCI Malik Muhammad Mujahid.