FAISALABAD         -        Deputy Commissioner Ali Annan Qamar said on Monday that efforts had been expedited to establish Information Technology (IT) University which would play a major role in transforming Faisalabad into ‘Cyberabad’. He was addressing the maiden meeting with the business community of Faisalabad in Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI).

He underlined the importance of IT in the overall development of Pakistan and said that Faisalabad was an iconic symbol of textile and it was an appreciable vision of Dr Khurram Tariq President FCCI to transform the city into a hub of IT. He said that land in the old vegetable market was lying vacant for the IT university and we must take immediate measures before it was encroached by the unscrupulous elements. He said the university of agriculture was ready to provide much needed support for this university as with this addition Pakistan could earn billions of dollars of foreign exchange.

The Deputy Commissioner also appreciated the philanthropic spirit of local inhabitants and said that businessmen were the most generous community as they had dispatched 7000 quilts, woollies and ration in addition to cash of Rs 15 million for earthquake victims of Turkey. He also eulogized the contribution of FCCI in doling out help and socour to the flood victims in Pakistan in addition to the construction of their damaged houses.

He said that you people were actually serving humanity and Allah Almighty would certainly give you a befitting reward. About FIEDMC, he said that it had different issues including security related matters and we would resolve the same in consultation with the stakeholders. Commenting on the uplift of labour welfare schools, he requested the FCCI President to pinpoint the issues so that these could be settled within the available resources.

He appreciated the proposal to link M3 with M4 and said that he would take up the issue with high-ups of NHA. He also assured to discuss expansion of airport with the Civil Aviation Authority. Commenting on the WASA related problems, he said that most of the issues in main city areas had been resolved, however still these were prevalent in the suburban areas of the city. He said the WASA had been directed to gear up its efforts to facilitate the masses at the earliest within the available means.