Plea to set up industry

THE area is an under-developed and backward region, which lacks industrialization. During the past years none of the heavy industry could be established here and even some of the industrial units sanctioned in the name of Bahawalpur division were shifted to other places with the result that this district remained without heavy industrial units. This added to the problem of unemployment.

Although, scores of ginning factories were established here, these could not help to eliminate the growing unemployment. Several years ago, a small industrial estate was set up here but later on a number of units here were closed down by their owners either due to non-payment of their loans or losses. There were sick units but the parties concerned were no longer interested in their revival.

In order to remove the backwardness and unemployment of this area and set up new industrial units here, the president, Bahawalpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), Mr Mahboob Nasir Chaudhry (30) who is youngest president of all chambers in the country, at a press conference here yesterday while pinpointing the economic problems and conditions of the area, put a number of proposals and suggestions to the government, which need immediate attention of the circles concerned. According to the LCCI president, an industrial zone along with Karachi bypass road here should be notified by the Punjab government where tax holiday for the new units be granted for at least 10 years after the declaration of it as zero duty area. If the land along with the Karachi bypass road was declared as an industrial zone, it will attract the new investors, who will be able to seek government sanction for new industries, which will have new concessions and incentives from the government.

As regards the promotion of means of communication for the industrial units, Mr Mahboob Nasir Chaudhry also demanded of the federal government to extend the already approved (by national highway authority NHA) Faisalabad-Khanewal motorway up to Bahawalpur via Jahania-Lodhran and further linking it up with Karachi-Lahore-Peshawar (KLP) highway at Tarinda Muhammad Pannah. This could be possible through the portion of Bahawalpur-Ahmedpur East-Tarinda Muhammad Pannah, which was being converted into a dual carriageway by NHA. If the government diverts its attention towards the redress of the problems of this area, this region could also be brought at par with other industrialized areas of the country.

During a press conference, it was also pointed out that Bahawalpur-Ahmedpur East road dualizing work was to be completed last year, but it was still under-construction with the result that it was creating numerous problems for motorists and commuters in the shape of wear and tear of their vehicles. During the last visit of Punjab chief minister, the chamber had also invited his attention towards the slow pace of construction work on this road. So, the NHA should complete the carpeting of this road at the earliest.

A few years ago, traffic signals were installed at a number of crossings in the city at a cost of lakhs of rupees. But, it could not function for a long time due to reasons best known to the local civic body. However, it was learnt that the Bahawalpur TMA had refused to pay its electricity bills with the result that first it became non-functional and later were switched off permanently. Later, when the Baghdad Road renamed as Sadiq Avenue after the name of Nawab Sir Sadiq Khan Abbasi, the installed traffic signals were uprooted and thus lakhs of rupees were wasted by the civic administration.

Now, the traffic has increased on all city roads, which have been dualized recently. The necessity of the regularization of traffic has arisen. The vehicular traffic on city roads was fast and there were frequent road accidents posing a threat to the life of the people, particularly the pedestrians. A number of busy chowks and points like DIGP Chowk, Himayatan Chowk, Farid Gate, and Fowara Chowk needed such traffic signals. Now that the new TMA has been installed there was need to conduct a fresh survey in this regard and funds should be approved for the installation of traffic signals and payment of their electricity bills regularly for the safety of common man.

HASILPUR Town is a flourishing city of the district. During past years, its grain market, famous for cotton trade, was located on one side of the town, which only consisted of a few mohallahs. But now, with the population explosion, the city has expanded and Hasilpur grain market handles business of lakhs of rupees in cotton and Ispaghol. The market has now been surrounded by various localities and the business community feels difficult to run business smoothly in the old walled city, which is covered with environmental pollution. Due to congestion in the mandi, the commission agents encroach upon the nearby roads and stock their commodities on these roads. The mandi neither had the facility of streetlight nor drinking water. The traders have demanded shifting of the grain market outside the city for the convenience of both consumers and business community.