LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif will visit Turkey, the United Kingdom and Germany next week to hold discussions with foreign leaders on enhancing cooperation and investment in various sectors.
In this connection, the chief minister chaired a meeting on Saturday that was attended by lawmakers Col (r) Shuja Khanzada and Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmed, Lahore Transport Company Chairman Khawaja Ahmed Hassan, secretaries and other officials concerned.
Addressing the meeting, Shahbaz said his government had launched a comprehensive programme for progress and development of the province that would lead to prosperity. He said his visit aimed to get benefit from experiences of the developed countries. The chief minister announced private members of the delegation would pay the visit expenses in accordance with the policy of the Punjab government.
He said during the visit to Turkey, bilateral negotiations would be held with Turkish leadership for increasing further cooperation in various sectors. The Turkish companies are extending vigorous cooperation to the Punjab government in solid waste management and transport sectors.
He said the metro bus project was aimed at providing international quality travelling facilities to the people of Punjab, while new agreement to purchase latest buses from Turkey for Metro Project would also be signed during the visit.
Shahbaz said energy crisis has hampered national progress in Pakistan, and, in this perspective, negotiations would also be held with Turkish companies for increasing cooperation in energy sector in Punjab. He said the Turkish companies had expressed their interest in increasing cooperation in the information technology in Punjab while a Turkish company would also extend cooperation for setting up of theme park in provincial metropolis.
The chief minister said that during the visit to the United Kingdom, British investors would be apprised of investment opportunities in Punjab. The chief minister said the way Germany has achieved rapid progress in industrial sector, after the World War-II is a shining example for developing countries like Pakistan.
He said Punjab wanted to benefit from the revolutionary progress made by Germany in industrial sector, for which bilateral negotiations would be held with German companies during his visit to Berlin for enhancing cooperation in energy and other sectors.
Also, a group of politicians from Gujrat District called on Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday and announced to join the PML-N while expressing their full confidence in the leadership of Mian Nawaz Sharif.
The leaders who met with the Punjab chief minister included former MNA Nawabzada Mazhar Ali Khan, former MPA Nawabzada Muzaffar Ali Khan, former Gujrat District Council Chairman Tahir-ul-Mulk and Haider Mehdi, the son of Nawabzada Mehdi. Law Minister Rana Sanullah Khan was also present on the occasion.
Welcoming these leaders in the PML-N, Shahbaz hoped they would further strengthen the party in Gujrat. On their invitation, he also promised to soon visit the district. The new entrants in the PML-N said Nawaz Sharif was the only leader capable of steering the country out of crisis and pledged to work under his leadership for strengthening the party.
Separately, Shahbaz Sharif said on Saturday that Muslim countries of the region – Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia – should establish a joint market to promote mutual cooperation.
During a meeting with an Iranian delegation led by Imam Khomeni Relief Fund Chairman Hossein Anvari, he said the setting up of a modern slaughter house was a shining example of mutual cooperation between Punjab and Iran. “Similarly, the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) in Lahore is being speedily completed with the cooperation of Turkish companies,” he added.
Shahbaz said Muslim countries of the region should launch joint ventures since they would not only lead to strengthening brotherly relations among them but also do way with deprivations of the masses.
Iranian Consul General Muhammad Hussain Bani Asadi, members of the Imam Khomeni Relief Fund, Punjab Minister for Zakat and Ushr Malik Nadeem Kamran, MNA Pervez Malik, Board of Revenue senior member, finance secretary, Punjab Investment Board vice chairman, Provincial Disaster Management Authority director general and other officials concerned were also present on the occasion.
Also, MPA Rab Nawaz Lak and Punjab Ulema Board Chairman Pir Syed Ameenul Hassnat met with Shahbaz Sharif to discuss the current situation. Lak apprised the chief minister of the development works and problems confronting his constituents.