Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. SCREEN GRAB
LAHORE:
A delegation of prominent Chinese investors has expressed interest in making investments in Punjab.
During a meeting, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif expressed happiness to see women investors as part of the Chinese delegation.
The Chief Minister met the delegation before her departure for a visit to Brazil.
She said on the occasion that Punjab has huge potential for investment. She added that for the first time a “zero time to start” policy had been introduced in Punjab to provide complete facilitation to the investors. She said that Punjab is going through one of the best phases in terms of investment opportunities.
She emphasized that Punjab’s industrial zones and parks offer excellent investment opportunities.
The Chief Minister said investors will also get tax holidays and exemption from import duties. She added that infrastructure, information technology and medical tourism provide lucrative opportunities for foreign investment in the province.
She added that after her last visit to China, Punjab government had introduced innovation in medical and other sectors.
Highlighting that real estate and infrastructure sectors in Punjab could yield quick profitable returns, she added that the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) project would serve as a role model for infrastructure development in the province.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz emphasized that for the first time more than 100,000 houses had been built within 10 months.
She said that with the growth of the tourism sector, there had been an increasing demand for construction of more quality hotels to facilitate tourists across Punjab.
She said that a glass train and high speed train were introduced for the first time in Punjab and a large area had also been earmarked for the establishment of the province’s largest medical district.
She emphasized that business processes in Punjab had been completely shifted to an online system, adding that no files or papers were required to start a business and investors could easily apply and start their business immediately.
Senior officials of several Chinese companies expressed their keen interest in making investments in several sectors in Punjab.
Social protection
During a meeting with parliamentarians and other leaders from Mianwali and Wazirabad, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said that salary orders of Rs 10,000 each had been delivered at the doorsteps of three million people in Ramazan, while 1.5 million people across the province were getting Rs 3,000 per month each through ration cards.
The Chief Minister said that protection of life and property of people is the responsibility of the state.
She said that she would not disappoint the farmers of Punjab. She added that many major projects would be launched for the people of the province.
The parliamentarians expressed gratitude for the launch of the Green Bus project in Mianwali and Wazirabad. They also appreciated the ‘clean Punjab’ project and promised to work together under her leadership to maintain law and order in the province.
According to a statement, they also hailed her for launching an e-Biz portal to boost business activities in the province besides her initiative to stop illegal occupation of private property.
