LAHORE- Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs, Northern and Information Technology Qamar uz Zaman Qaira has said the government had decided to convene a special cabinet meeting to cope with ongoing energy crisis. All the relevant experts and chambers would also be invited to seek their suggestions over the issue, which now has started taking its toll. The federal minister expressed these views while speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Saturday. LCCI President M Ali Mian, former Presidents Iftikhar Ali Malik, Mian Misbahur Rehman and Mian Shafqat Ali also spoke on the occasion. The minister said that the present government was taking all possible measures to bridge the gap between demand and supply of electricity as due to acute shortage of power not only the industry was suffering but the common man was also in deep trouble. He further said that to develop IT infrastructure, the government has divided the country into 14 regions and aggressive investments would be made to equip all the 1400 cities and villages with Information Technology that do not have access to IT. He said that the government has also introduced scholarships for the promotion of Information Technology. On the issue of Kashmir, the Federal Minister said that sometimes, informal diplomacy can do the miracles and business community should use its good offices for a breakthrough in this regard. The Federal Minister said that steps are on way to promote trade between Indian Occupied Kashmir and Azad Jammu Kashmir that would definitely help bring the people of two sides further closer. He said that a special attention is also being given towards vocational training and skill development as the industry is heavily suffering because of the shortage of skilled labour. Referring to high atta prices, he said that there was an anomaly in the provision of subsidy. Equal subsidy was being given on atta being used by the rich and the poor. Things are being sorted out ensure benefit to the poor alone. LCCI President Mohammad Ali Mian, in his address, stressed the need for early solution of Kashmir issue saying that only because of it, both the countries could not touch the desirable level in two-way trade. He said that no Confidence Building Measure (CBM) would work unless and until the issue of Kashmir is solved. Mohammad Ali Mian informed the Federal Minister that three years back the growth of computer industry in Pakistan was 20pc annually and government was getting 3.5pc Withholding Tax and a 5 percent duty differential was also given to local computer assemblers but in the year 2005, 15pc ST was imposed on computers, monitors and printers that were being made locally and this single step destroyed the business of local companies. This has also encouraged the smuggling of computer components including Note Book, RAM and CPU and the growth rate has now decreased to the level of 12 per cent. He urged the Minister to withdraw 15pc ST and 5 per cent duty differential to the local assemblers should also be restored. The LCCI President also urged the minister to take special measures for the promotion of tourism industry, which is one of the biggest industries of the world.