The Planning Commission's Implementation and Monitoring member Lieutenant General Muhammad Zubair (retd) has said the government is making strenuous efforts for resolving the problems confronting the business community of the country.
Addressing members of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) here on Saturday, he said the aim of visiting Sialkot was to hold discussion on different projects being carried out in Sialkot district.
Muhammad Zubair told the house that initial development work on cadet college had been initiated in Pasrur tehsil of Sialkot district. The cadet college is being developed over 158 acres of land, which will be completed under a phased programme and will be accomplished at a cost of Rs 191 million.
The Planning Commission's Implementation and Monitoring member said that District Coordination Officer Sialkot had been directed to visit Cadet College every month for assessing the pace of development work. On this occasion, Provincial chief of the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (Smeda) Alamgir Chaudhry informed the house about various projects being undertaken by the Smeda.
Sialkot International Airport Chief Executive Khawar Anwar Khwaja informed the gathering that the completion of airport would help reduce the problems being faced by the business community of unique golden export triangle (Sialkot, Gujranwala and Gujrat).
Regular operations of the airport would not only help in further accelerating the trade and commerce activities, but would also generate wide opportunities of employment, Khawar Khwaja said. The different aspects of construction of Sialkot-Lahore motorway project were also discussed in the meeting.
In his welcome address, SCCI President Sheikh Abdul Waheed Sandal said the current of Sialkot-Lahore motorway on western side of Daska near village Ranjhai was not suitable for the people of Sialkot. Therefore, the SCCI suggested realignment on the eastern side of Daska near village Jaisarwala and MR link canal, he said. This would reduce five-kilometre distance on the motorway, which would be beneficial for the inhabitants of Sialkot district in future, he added.