GUJRANWALA, Jan 20: The National Highway from Gujranwala to Lahore would be widened as the government had approved the project, prime minister's adviser Rana Nazir Ahmad Khan told newsmen here on Tuesday.

In the first phase of the project, he said, the highway would be widened from Chand da Qila bypass intersection to Kamoki with an expenditure of Rs1 billion. Later, it would be stretched with additional lanes up to Lahore in the second phase.

He said Rs80 million would be spent on the construction of new lanes from Kali Soba village at Wahando to Gujranwala, besides the construction of a flyover at Kamoki - from Ghanian Morr to the tehsil office - to streamline traffic on the highway.

The PM's adviser claimed that gas would be provided at all the neglected areas of Kamoki at a cost of Rs20 million while another Rs10 million had been released from MNA grant for this purpose. He also announced construction of a labour colony in the tehsil in the next fiscal year.

WTO REGIME: The business community will face tough time after the implementation of the World Trade Organization regime. However, the businessmen should prepare themselves to face the challenges by developing relations with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation member countries, stressed State Bank of Pakistan Deputy Governor Rashid Ahmad Chughtai while speaking at the chamber of commerce and industry, here on Tuesday.

He said the exporters, who had got necessary documentation completed, had been allowed to sale their products in foreign exchange. The central bank, he said, had eased conditions of obtaining loans by amending the relevant law. Mr Chughtai said the government was adopting solid steps for introducing Islamic banking in the country.

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