KARACHI: Secretary General of the United Business Group (UBG), Southern Zone, former chairman of Association of Builders and Developers (Abad) and former senior vice president of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Muhammad Hanif Gohar has said that the construction sector is facing serious challenges due to increase in cement price by Rs30 per bag as the price of one bag of cement has already exceeded Rs1,000.

He was of the view that the poor people are now unable to fulfil the dream of building their own house despite their best efforts.

Talking to media, he appealed to the government to take steps to reduce the price of cement when the US dollar is depreciating so that the construction sector can run.

Hanif Gohar said that there was a boom in the construction industry in the previous government and lakhs of people got employment, but the current government did not take positive steps for the construction industry, due to which many ongoing projects have also stopped.

He said that if the government takes steps to reduce price of cement and provides facilities to the construction sector, then the wheel of the construction sector will start turning again and the unemployed youth will get chance of employment.

Hanif Gohar said that peace in city and maintaining law and order is very important in development of any country or city, adding the federal and Sindh governments should increase the strength of the Karachi police, equip the Sindh police with modern equipment and forensic services.

If there is peace in Sindh including Karachi, domestic and foreign investment will pour in, which will not only develop the megacity, but will also cast positive effects on the country's economy.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022