Investors’ confidence restored, says minister

LAHORE : Provincial Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal on Wednesday said that investors’ confidence had been restored following the government’s transparent economic policies.

In a statement, the minister said the foreign investors were taking interest in investing in Pakistan. The PTI government has put the economy on the right path as a boost in exports will stabilise the economy. He regretted that the past governments ignored the industrial sector but the PTI government had adopted a holistic approach to expedite the investment process for creating more job opportunities.

The boost in the economic development process is against the interest of the opportunist opposition which is trying to create chaos in the country to promote its personal interest, he said. Regrettably, the PPP and the PML-N used the power and authority for minting money instead of serving the masses, the minister added. The past rulers made a dacoity on the rights of the people and acquired penthouses abroad. They are conspiring against the government to hinder the accountability process, he said. The opposition should stop conspiring against the government as the people will foil their conspiracies and the corrupt mafia will be defeated in the next elections again, concluded the minister.

Ravi project: The basic purpose of River Ravi Project is the protection and up-gradation of environment.

Ravi Urban Development Authority spokesman SM Imran said this in a statement issued here on Wednesday. He said the project had been conceived for improving endangered ecology of the river and stopping bio-degradation of the environment besides conserving water for meeting water and food requirements of future generations.

He said no project could be initiated without carrying out Environment Impact Assessment (EIA). He Environment Protection Department has already been requested to issue NOC for this project.

The boundaries of the Ravi Urban Development Project were currently being demarcated. Once the boundaries are finalised, an environmental assessment report will be submitted for the area included in the project, he added. SM Imran said more than six million saplings will be planted in the new city and 10,000 acres of land will be allocated for forest orchard. Urban farms will be introduced to promote agriculture in this city, he added.

He said the project would be executed in three phases. In the first phase, 28 feet high walls will be constructed on both sides of the river besides constructing three barrages while a 46-km long lake will be established where water will be saved from being wasted.

This water would then be used for agriculture, he said, adding the construction of this lake would improve the underground water level in Lahore. He said seven water treatment plants will be installed under this project which will daily treat 836 cusecs of sewage water and supply it to the river.

mine workers: The working class has condemned the murder of 11 Hazara mine workers of Balochistan. They declared it a crime against whole mankind and demanded the prime minister intervene and ensure security to Hazara community of Balochistan.

They said 200 Hazara people were killed in 2013 and 10 in 2019 in terrorism. It is the responsibility of the state to protect the lives and dignity of Hazara miners and bring to book the criminals with exemplary punishment against the slaying of the mine workers and extend all legal, moral and financial support to the families of the martyred workers. These demands were highlighted in a resolution passed on Wednesday in a meeting of All Pakistan Workers Confederation held at Bakhtiar Labour Hall, Lahore to condemn the barbaric killing of 11 coal miners in Balochistan.

Certificates: A certificates-distribution ceremony for the young artists was held at Alhamra Art Centre, Wednesday. Secretary Information and Culture Raja Jahangir Anwar graced the ceremony as chief guest of the event. On the occasion, Raja Jahangir Anwar praised the efforts of Lahore Arts Council to promote art among youths and said that talented young artists were playing a key role in the development and prosperity of the country. LAC Executive Director Saman Rai said that the young artists of Alhamra Academy of Performing Arts are our actual assets. Rai further expressed that “We have done record work in the last six months”.