MULTAN City News

Demos against Multan metro bus project from July 1

From Our Correspondent

MULTAN: The New Low Income Housing Scheme Action Committee has announced demonstrations against the Multan metro bus project, which has divided the society into two blocks.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday Action Committee chairman Mehfooz Khan Shujaat said that Gulshan market and Al-Falah market traders would also take part in the protest starting from July 1. He said that the metro bus route wall erected on the road had divided the society into two blocks, creating several problems for the residents. He said that the administration had provided a U-turn at least 4-5km from the desired spot. He said that the educational institutions were situated in front of their houses but the U-turn was 5km away. He said that the residents had met Metro bus project chief engineer and technical adviser Sabir Khan Sadozai and he promised construction of an underpass at Madni Chowk but the promise had still not been fulfilled.

MANGO PRODUCTION: Growers are expecting 1.7 million ton mango production this year, said Mango Growers Association president Muhammad Tariq Khan.

Talking to newsmen here on Monday, he demanded the government ensure maximum export to fetch foreign exchange to the country. He said that the climatic hazards of previous years had already caused 40 per cent decline in the domestic mango production. However, after seeing the reduced exports in the last three years, some growers and exporters were optimistic to achieve the export target of 100,000 ton mangoes this year, he added. He advised the mango growers to maintain quality of the fruit so that they could get adequate prices in the local and international markets. The exporters should also try to tap new markets, including China, Russia, Iran and Belarus, in addition to catering to the traditional markets, he added.

GOVT POLICIES LAUDED: The Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry has lauded the government’s economic policies.

In a statement here on Monday, MCCI president Fareed Mughis Sheikh said that declaring five export oriented sectors, including textile, leather, pharmaceutical and sports, as zero rated was a good and timely decision of the government to boost the exports. He urged the government to widen the tax net to encourage investment to provide job opportunities to 1.5 million youths entering the market every year.