'PM wants to strike a balance between preservation of health and promotion of economy'25-member delegation of prominent businessmen call on Sindh governor

The Governor of Sindh, Imran Ismail, has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan wants to have a balance between ensuring people's health and promoting economic activities in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. This he said while talking to a 25-member delegation of prominent businessmen and industrialists at the Governor's House here on Tuesday.

The meeting deliberated upon the situation of the coronavirus, the effects of the lockdown on the industrial units and businesses, the SOPs for opening factories, the problems confronted by the employees and some other related issues.

Sindh governor told the delegation that the prime minister had announced various incentives for the people, especially the common man, who were facing immense difficulties due to the lockdown.

The Rs8 billion package announced by the prime minister aimed at providing relief to them, he added. He said that the war against the coronavirus was a war of every Pakistani, and as such we have to be united against this pandemic, which was the only way to defeat Covid-19.

Sindh governor said that the daily-wage workers and labourers employed in factories were the most affected segments of society due to Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown.

The difficulties being faced by the industrialists and businessmen were in the knowledge of the government, and every possible step would be taken to resolve their genuine grievances, he added.

Citing the example of opening of the export-based industrial units, the governor said that the issue of refunds of such industries was being taken up on a priority basis, and the payment of refunds had been started.

The State Bank was also offering soft loans at a minimum interest to facilitate the industries, he said.

The delegation members said that they were with the government, but their genuine problems must be resolved at the earliest. The same would not only ensure enhanced productivity but would also generate employment, they added.

The delegation was led by veteran industrialist S. M. Muneer. Zubair Tufail, Khalid Tawab, Mazhar Nasir, Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Abdul Sami Khan, Abdul Haseeb Khan, Zubair Baweja, Hanif Gohar, Ghazanfar Ali Khan, Noor Ahmed Khan, Farhan Hanif, Umer Rehan, Ikram Rajput and Malik Khuda Bux were also present on the occasion.