NWFP governor for public-private partnership to achieve uplift goals

NWFP Governor Khalil-ur-Rehman has stressed the need for public-private partnership to achieve the goal of rapid development. Addressing as the chief guest at a ceremony of "Gold Medal and Export Trophy Awards 2003-04 under the auspices of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry in a local hotel on Monday night, the Governor said: "Indeed, we are now in a state of continuous struggle for development and prosperity of our nation as well as the coming generation", adding.
"This demands us a firm determination, team spirit, selfless, and hard work for the collective well-being of our people."
In all seven categories of the gold medals, Suhail Younas Tabba of Lucky Cement Limited and Gadoon Textile Mills Limited lifted four gold medals for being the top investor; top exporter, top importer, and top income tax payer of the province in the year.
The gold medal for the top sales tax payer went to the Pakistan Tobacco Company whereas the Khyber Trading Company and the R-Sheen Fashion Paradise were awarded gold medals for being judged as the top income tax payers in trading sector and retail sector, respectively.
Similarly, Bank Al-Falah Ltd achieved two SCCI Bank of Province Award for having highest lending to deposit ratio and the banks started operation in NWFP between five and 15 years whereas Habib Bank Ltd and Saudi-Pak Commercial Bank Ltd achieved the awards for the Banks Started Operations in NWFP more than 15 years and the Banks Stated Operation in NWFP Less than five years respectively.
Besides, trophies were also awarded to the businessmen achieving distinctions in their respective fields out of forty different categories of exports as well.
The ceremony was also addressed by Senator Ilyas Bilour, former President of the Chamber; Adeel Rauf and Haji Sharafat Ali Mubarak whereas Malik Niaz Ahmad, president of the Chamber presented the address of welcome.
Fortunately, the governor said: "We are so far moving forward with a reasonable pace in this new trade era."
Though, Khalil-ur-Rehman remarked: "We were passing through worst economic crisis five years ago and our foreign exchange reserves had dwindled to a few hundred million dollars yet with the grace of God, today our reserves are over 13 billion dollars."
He also mentioned the recently announced federal budget, which, he remarked, being welfare-oriented for every segment of the society, has been widely hailed and this is really a positive change.
The credit, Khalil-ur-Rehman said, definitely goes to the far-sighted approach and the able leadership of President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz who brought the country out of the state of bankruptcy and helped in moving in the right direction.
Referring to the prospects of industrial development and business advantages in NWFP and Fata, the governor said: "Fortunately, our geographic location and position is ideal and the only need is to adopt a realistic approach."
The NWFP having population of almost 20 million is itself a big market whereas our immediate neighbours Afghanistan with almost the same population as well as the Central Asian States offer a vast market for our products as well, he added.
Referring to the economic development prospects, the governor also mentioned the hydel power generation potential; mineral deposits and tourism promotion opportunities in the province, which provide us a unique position for our future development.
The Fata too, the governor said, is full of mineral deposits and there exist vast reserves of coal, gypsum, marble, bromide, manganese, barite, soapstone, and copper.
Besides, there also exists every hope of the availability of oil and gas reserves in the area as well and the government is making all out efforts to exploit this natural wealth for the overall welfare of the people, he added.
In fact, the governor said, billions of rupees are being spent on the development of Fata which is also proving a great source of generating economic activities as well.
Khalil-ur-Rehman while referring to the contacts being developed with foreign concerns to exploit these natural resources also urged the local entrepreneurs to come forward and make best use of the opportunities.
While urging the need of application of latest technologies particularly required for excavation as well as processing of mineral resources, the governor also mentioned the marble sector and said almost 70 percent of the materials is lost because of prevailing outdated ways and means and efforts are under way to introduce latest technologies to make useful in real sense.
Khalil-ur-Rehman also reminded the audience that new trends in trade and business activities are taking place in Fata and efforts are under way not only to get rid of the stigma of smuggling and convert it into an acceptable trade on positive lines, but also develop the industrialisation on the same lines.
However, he said, this is a gradual process and we must be conscious of the ground realities.
Referring to the demands raised by Malik Niaz Ahmad, President of the Chamber while presenting the address of welcome with particular reference to the establishment of Export Trade Centre in Peshawar and Peshawar Dry Port at Azakhel, the governor said that he is already in contact with the respective authorities at the federal level and expecting a positive response shortly.
As far as the imposition of regulatory duty on wheat export is concerned, he said it seems to be a step of temporary nature and in fact, such initiatives are always taken in the best interest of the public, adding such a state of affair has to be tolerated till the maturity of proper market mechanism.
Senator Ilyas Bilour and Adeel Rauf in their speeches highlighted the prevailing state of business, trade, and industrial activities as well as prospects of entrepreneurship in the province whereas Haji Sharafat Ali Mubarak thanked the governor and other guests for gracing the occasion of their presence.
The function, besides some of the provincial ministers, elected representatives, senior officials of both the federal and the provincial governments and Peshawar-based diplomats of certain countries was also largely attended by businessmen and industrialists.