Body to solve business community's problems

LAHORE-Punjab Chief Minister Mian Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that huge foreign exchange could be earned by exporting fruits and vegetables to Middle East from Punjab and Pakistan could become Green Basket for this region.
He said this while talking to executive committee and senior members of Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industries (LCCI), here on Monday, who called on him under the leadership of President Lahore Chambers Executive Committee, Muhammad Ali Mian at Chief Minister’s Secretariat.
The CM said that Chamber of Commerce & Industries could play pivotal role in export of fruits and vegetables to the said region.
He said that important decisions were taken about industries and trade in the past disregarding chambers of commerce due to which national economy and trade sector suffered a serious setback. He said that it was need of the hour that government and chambers of commerce should work collectively.
Shahbaz asked LCCI members to assist and provide guidance to the government in the development of industrial and agriculture sector as well as proper planning in this regard. He said that Punjab was hub of industry and agriculture of the country but due to lack of proper planning full benefits have not been taken from high production of vegetables, fruits and other crops of the province.
He said that not only huge foreign exchange can be earned through export of fruits and vegetables to the Middle Eastern countries but Pakistan can also become Green Basket for this region. He said that due to wrong policies of the past, middle eastern countries are compelled to import fruits and vegetables from those countries with which they neither have as cordial relations as with Pakistan nor are they closer to Middle East geographically than Pakistan.
The CM further said that Punjab government wanted to see the lands of the whole province including Cholistan lush green and verdant and Chambers of Commerce should extend assistance and technical support to the government in increasing agriculture production.
He said that there is also a need to strengthen and organize cottage industry of Punjab and shifting of units of different nature closer to each other as it can help in increasing production as well as generation of job opportunities.
He said that there was need for making collective efforts for national development, prosperity and economic stability. He said that there has been a lot of discussion on issues during the last sixty years but now the time has come to find a solution and take practical measures. He stressed upon industrialist community to play its due role for starting the journey towards progress and prosperity.