Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday layed foundation stone of the state-of-the-art Allama Iqbal Industrial City in Faisalabad.
Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, and Planning Minister Asad Umar also accompanied Prime Minister. He also planted a sapling on the occasion.
Prime Minister was briefed about the industrial city which has been planned over an area of four thousand acres and was strategically located on Motorway M-4 near Sahianwala Interchange, Faisalabad.
Prime Minister Imran Khan while addressing the ceremony said that industrialisation leading to increased exports is key to eradicate poverty from the country. This specialized economic zone is a major step towards the realisation of China Pakistan Economic Corridor.
He further added that CPEC is a golden chance for the country to develop, eulogizing the Chinese model of development. He said Chinese investors and entrepreneurs are keen to invest in various sectors of the country.
Prime Minister said that Chinese businesses are also willing to transfer vital technology to Pakistan. He added China uplifted 700 million people from poverty in three decades which is unprecedented in world history.
While underscoring the importance of Industrialisation for employment creation Prime Minister said that the pace of industrialisation in Pakistan was very fast in the 1960s. But, he added, unfortunately, this lost momentum due to policies adopted in the 1970s.
He further added that money-making and wealth creation are not bad things for the society. He said Pakistan also needs to enhance its agricultural produce to gain maximum benefit of the favorable land and climate. He said tourism is another sector which has a lot of potential in the country and it needs harnessing.