Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser has underscored the need to extend maximum support to the industrial sector to seize the economic activity emerging out of CPEC.
He said this while chairing the meeting with the representatives of Swabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate in Parliament House, Islamabad on Thursday.
He said that economy of any country was directly dependent on growth of its industrial sector. Speaker Asad Qaiser said that industrial Sector had played a pivotal role in generating employment opportunities in the country besides contributing towards the national economy. He said that present democratic government was committed for industrialization and addressing the impediments in that regard. The Speaker said the present government inherited economic challenges which were amicably being resolved with the active contribution of the industrial sector. He was confident that pro investment policies of the government would provide impetus to the economic growth. He asked the Minister for Energy to address issues of Industrial sector besides ensuring uninterrupted and required power supply to the industries.
The Representatives of Swabi Chamber and Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate apprised the Speaker about the issues confronting industrial unites in the Gadoon Industrial Estate. They informed that outdated power infrastructure and its overloading was hindering the smooth supply of the power affecting the maximum capacity utilization of the Industry. They suggested that development of the power infrastructure may be accorded priority for which Industrialists would extend their maximum support. They further assured that industrial sector was fully committed to the national development through generating revenue and job creation.
The Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan acknowledge the contribution of the industrial sector in the national development and assured them his all-out support. He directed the Power Division to immediately contact all Chambers of Commerce and Industry throughout the country specially Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate to identify issues relating to power distribution for their immediate resolution. He assured them that the overloading issue of the electric infrastructure would be resolved through augmentation of the old infrastructure besides establishing new grid stations. He directed Chief Executive Officer, PESCO to ensure immediate release of material for installation of electric meters and construction of transmission lines for industries in respect of paid demand notices.
The Representative of Swabi Chamber and Gadoon Amazai industrial estate thanked Speaker National Assembly for his intervention. They also praised the commitment of the government for addressing the issues of the industrial sector.
The Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan, Abdul Kareem Khan, Advisor to CM Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Industries, Secretaries Ministries of Power and Industries, Chief Executive PESCO, Managing Director NTDC, Chairman, NEPRA and Regional Representative SNGPL Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were present during the meeting.