LAHORE:Provincial Minister for Industries and Commerce Chaudhry Shafay Hussain inaugurated the 4th Health, Engineering and Minerals Show 2025 at the Expo Centre on Thursday.
Delegates from 180 local and 160 foreign companies are participating in the 3-day exhibition organised by the Trading Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP). The provincial minister inspected different stalls and observed the products displayed there.
Speaking on the occasion, Chaudhry Shafay said that Pakistan is rich in mineral resources. Balochistan has billions of dollars of copper and Punjab has zinc reserves. Zinc is used in electric vehicles. He said that after value addition of minerals, valuable foreign exchange can be earned by exporting them and the national economy can be strengthened by utilising the treasures hidden in the ground.
The minister said that on the instructions of the Punjab Chief Minister, a new industrial estate is being built in the Salt Range. A pharmaceutical valley will be built on an area of 130 acres in Quaid-e-Azam Business Park, Sheikhupura. Special incentives are being given to investors in the Special Economic Zones of Punjab. There is a 10-year income tax exemption on investment and a one-time duty-free import of machinery. In addition, land is also being given on lease to set up industrial units in industrial estates. Chaudhry Shafay said that domestic and foreign investors are welcomed to invest in Punjab and they should take advantage of investment opportunities.
TDAP Secretary Shehryar Taj, CEO Faiz Ahmed Chadhar, DG Rafia Syed, President Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abu Zar Shad and others were present on the occasion. Following the inauguration, Faiz Ahmad and Shehryar Taj held high-level meetings with trade delegations from Sri Lanka, the UAE, and others, promoting bilateral trade opportunities and cooperation.
In a strategic initiative, TDAP invited regulatory authorities, trade promotion organisations, chambers and associations from participating countries to ensure broad and effective representation.
Furthermore, industrial visits planned for the third day aimed to give foreign buyers deeper insight into Pakistan’s industrial landscape. HEMS 2025 also bridges business with academia. Through collaborative efforts, engineering universities were invited to display their projects under a special composite stall titled STARTUP, showcasing Pakistan’s youth-driven innovation and R&D capabilities.
Running until April 19, 2025, HEMS is set to enhance Pakistan’s global trade image, foster innovation, and stimulate economic activity across the healthcare, engineering, and minerals sectors.