‘Pakistan has come out of economic crisis’

LAHORE :Provincial Industries and Trade Minister Mian Muhammad Aslam Iqbal Friday announced establishing a furniture city on 200-acre land near Chiniot.

This initiative will create more than 50,000 job opportunities and will help to stabilise furniture industry. Furniture makers will be given plots on subsidised rates to set up furniture making units in this city.

The minister announced it while inaugurating a three-day mega 11th Interiors Pakistan exhibition here at Expo Centre. Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC) Chief Executive Mian Kashif Ashfaq who is also chairman of FIEDMC was present on this occasion.

He said the Punjab government in line with Prime Minister’s vision would continue to promote industrialisation and growth across all manufacturing sectors for strengthening national economy which will also generate ample job opportunities. He hoped that young leadership would play an effective role in expediting the process of industrialisation, asserting that since industrialists and traders were backbone of the economy their due problems would be solved on priority basis.

The minister also assured that the Punjab government would also patronise furniture sector and if this particular sector is organised on modern scientific line on a par with international standard, this would help to earn plenty of foreign exchange. The PTI government, he said, would welcome PFC proposals and recommendations to expedite the process of industrialisation. Pakistan has come out of economic crisis and national economy is advancing towards stability and the government will bring good news to people the next year, he added. Mian Aslam urged the businessmen to work extensively to promote the local industry in Pakistan. He said more improvement in this industry would not only help in meeting local needs but would also enable to meet needs of international market. “All support would be provided for taking this exhibition to other countries,” he added. The minister visited various stalls and appreciated the stall holders. He said these were a unique combination of traditional art and modern day requirements. “Joint efforts on modern lines needed to gain optimum access to international markets for locally manufactured furniture and accessories,” he added.

PFC Chief Executive Mian Kashif Ashfaq extended his gratitude towards the minister for inaugurating the exhibition. He said PFC continued its legacy by fulfilling its commitment to serve Pakistan’s thriving furniture business industry by organising consecutively 11th Interiors Pakistan Exhibition. He said the response from public and foreign furniture producers was tremendous and he was hopeful that in coming exhibitions more foreign furniture producers would display their products. Opinions and ideas were welcomed during the exhibition and people appreciated the effort, ambiance and the quality of furniture displayed during the event. The exhibition offered a whopping discount of up to 40 percent on all goods and the prices were so reasonable that it created an environment of major buying interest than just a general visitor’s exhibition. Later, answering the media questions, Aslam Iqbal said that some changes occurred in federal cabinet but there was no such thing in provincial cabinet. Making change in cabinet is the right of the chief minister. He said that the meeting of Punjab Assembly Speaker with the chief minister was a routine matter in a democratic system. He said the PTI government had taken solid steps to provide relief to the masses. All price control magistrates in the province are made fully active and Rs380 million fines have been imposed on illegal profiteers.