Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool has advised the people not to follow the miscreants, agitators and the elements who play with the sentiments of others because one day's strike causes a loss of Rs 4 billion, besides slowing down the pace of progress, economic development and prosperity.
"I appreciate the traders, industrialists and business community who rejected the politics of agitation. I think it is their wisdom, and a good decision," he said on Friday at a meeting of the executive committee of Multan Chamber of Commerce & Industry, chaired by Anis Ahmed Shaikh where FPCCI President Tanveer Ahmed Shaikh was chief guest. The Governor said: "We can evaluate the economic progress by assessing the purchasing capacity of the people, sale of automobiles, bicycles, motorbikes, air-conditioners, fans, irons, mobile phones."
He said that the government had accepted the challenge of 2007-08 budget because it is an election year, and it had given relief to 0.6 million families, and Rs 500 per month would be given to them. He said that the country's columnists were watching the budget through black-shade spectacles and they are discussing on an increase of Rs 600 in the wages of industrial workers and government support of Rs 600 for 0.6 million families.
He claimed that volume of trade and industry was increasing by leaps and bounds. "Our fertilisers, textile, cement and power industry are progressing considerably. The present government has increased the salaries of employees every year during last five years. The number of taxes are being reduced and the government has given amnesty to pay sales and income tax without any penalty, and it now entirely depends upon the traders and relies on the tax returns without any hesitation."
He said that tax has also been withdrawn on capital market, insurance and micro-credit banks. He said that the government has decided to establish nuclear power projects. The first project would be set up in Muzaffarabad (AJK) while the government had allocated funds for Kala Bagh dam to acquire land, and work on Bhasha dam was in progress.
He said that construction business was flourishing in the country and construction companies "are playing in billions". He said that the private sector should come forward to provide cheapest residential homes to the mediocres.
PRESS TALK: The Governor said that no innocent people are being arrested or detained in Punjab and those who are instigating the public on demonstrations, rallies, strikes, or those who take law in their hands, or create law and order situation are being taken into custody for one or two days.
Talking to newsmen in MCCI he said that there was no violation of human rights or law and order problem in the province. He said that there was complete freedom of press, expression and political activities. He said that the government was trying its utmost to meet the energy crisis, and recent rains would help in minimising the crisis, while the government had imported two power generators of 300 megawatts.
He said that there was merely ten percent difference in consumption and power generation. He further said that more than 5000 Utility Stores outlets were being opened in the country, while franchise utility stores are also being set up. He said that Punjab would get its due share in these utility stores.
Khalid Maqbool said that the government was taking emergency measures to overcome power shortage and end load-shedding in the country.
He said that due to prudent and consistent policies of the federal government the nation has gained prosperity and, as its result, demand of electricity has increased substantially.
Besides FPCCI president Tanvir Ahmed and MCCI president Anis Ahmed, district nazim Faisal Mukhtar was also present on the occasion. He said that the government is also holding talks with independent power producers (IPPs) to set up thermal power plants to meet the electricity shortage. He said that within the next one year, results would be visible and the nation would get rid of this menace.
Maqbool said that not only the federal budget is welfare-oriented, replete with a host of subsidies, and Rs 520 billion worth of Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) but Punjab budget is also poor-friendly in which several steps have been taken to improve the lot of the poor segments. Its PSDP volume has been set at Rs 150 billion, he observed.
He said the government was working on war footing to tap the potential of the country's hidden natural resources such as oil and gas and soon the nation would hear good news in this regard.
The Governor said that as a consequence of the execution of the massive development programme across the country, a lot of people would get employment, and business activity would increase manifold.
But, he warned that for the ongoing progress and prosperity political stability was also a must. However, he regretted that some people wanted to derail the chariot of development for their ulterior motives, which the people should understand and foil.
He said that the politics of protests, agitation and strikes would only scare away foreign investors and would only lead to unemployment and poverty, which the incumbent government is endeavouring to minimise. He eulogised the Punjab government's plan to give financial assistance of Rs 500 per month to 0.6,5 million families all over the province.
He said that the federal and provincial governments were focusing on development of hitherto neglected areas like southern Punjab. He said that plenty of funds were being utilised to improve education, health and basic amenities like electricity, gas and drinking water.
He said that 15,000 villages are being electrified per annum across the country. He said the prosperity has not come about haphazardly but with efficient economic planning and policies of President General Pervez Musharraf, who has steered the economy out of the woods.
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