LAHORE - Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif inaugurated state-of-the-art slaughter house completed at a cost of Rs one billion in collaboration with Punjab and Iran at Shahpur Kanjran on Sunday.
Officials of Iranian Consulate, members of Turk delegation, elected representatives, Secretaries of Livestock and Health and a large number of citizens participated the inaugural function of the slaughter house which was completed in a record period of 10 months.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of Lahore Meat Processing Complex, the chief minister congratulated the Lahorites and people of Punjab on the completion of most modern slaughter house on the occasion of birthday of founder of Pakistan. He said this project was an important step with regard to agriculture and economic aspect and increasing the exports of Pakistan.
He said due to completion of this important project, not only best meat according to hygienic principles would be available to the citizens but huge foreign exchange would also be earned through export of meat from Punjab to Iran and other countries.
Shahbaz said the project of modern slaughter house reflected the historic, cultural and brotherly relations between Pakistan and Iran. He said this joint venture was a milestone between the two countries and hoped that such more joint ventures would be started in the coming days.
Shahbaz Sharif said such joint ventures would guarantee the economic and trade development in the region. He said Pakistan is rich in natural resources and vast opportunities of development of livestock sector are also available. He said Punjab government was implementing a comprehensive programme of development of this sector and for the first time in the history of the country, meat has been exported from Punjab.
The CM said that Muslim countries import meat of billions of dollars from various countries in which the share of Pakistan was negligible. He said despite common borders, brother Islamic country Iran imports meat of 800 million dollars from other countries. He said Pakistan had the capacity of exporting best Hilal meat not only to Iran but also to other countries by improving the livestock sector. He said Punjab government would make an agreement of exporting meat of 160 million dollars to Iran. He urged that Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and other Muslim countries should launch similar joint ventures for the progress and prosperity of the people.
The chief minister said on the eve of birthday of Quaid-e-Azam, we will have to make this pledge that we will make honesty, trust and hardworking our motto for transforming Pakistan in accordance with the ideas of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal and these are also the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah. He said the nations never progress through charity of Aghyaar. He said we relied upon charity of Aghyaar instead of developing our indigenous resources during the last 64 years. He said time had come that indigenous resources should be developed by renouncing the foreign aid for achieving the status of dignified nation and simplicity should be adopted. He said the destiny of the country could be changed through promotion of modern knowledge, science and technology and untiring efforts.
He said although it was a difficult task yet was not impossible. He said that the living nations march forward only through hard work and we have also to march towards the same direction speedily. He said that the poet of the East had also given us the lesson of self-respect and the lost image of Pakistan can be restored by acting upon his thoughts. He said the project of slaughter house would be free from politics and it would be run through management having best professional abilities. He said resources were trust of the nation.