Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front calls for compensation to Metro affectees

Lahore, January 31, 2014 (PPI-OT): Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF) has demanded of Punjab Government to address reservations of affectees of Metro Bus Expansion Plan.

“Punjab government should take all stakeholders into confidence who are too much disturbed because of cold attitude of the officials-responsible otherwise reputation of government would be tarnished in the eye of business community.” The demand was raised at the PIAF Executive Committee meeting held at College of Tourism and Hotel Management (COTHM).

The Chairman PIAF Malik Tahir Javed presided over the meeting while LCCI president Engineer Sohail Lashari, former presidents Muhammad Ali Mian, Irfan Qaiser Sheikh, former Senior Vice President Sheikh Muhammad Arshad and a large number of PIAF EC members were present in the meeting.

The participants were of the view that government should consider some alternate plan as present Metro Bus Expansion Plan would not only deprive millions of workers of major city markets of their jobs besides causing closure of thousands of running businesses.

Chairman PIAF Malik Tahir Javed said that the infrastructure development is meant to expedite economic activities and if it goes the other way round, the government is duty bound to withdraw the decision.

He apprehended that the proposed Metro Expansion Plan would badly hit businesses of almost ten major City markets including Badami Bagh Auto Market, Shoe Market, Azam Cloth Market, Shah Alam Market and Akbari Mandi.

He hoped that the Chief Minister Punjab Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif would issue necessary directions to the concerned department to share Metro Expansion plan with the stakeholders for the removal of their apprehensions that are having sleepless nights as the department responsible for the project had already started marking for initiating demolition of shops coming the way of the project.

The participants of the meeting also showed concern over recent increase in the electricity prices and urged the Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif to suspend the hike in electricity tariff while keeping in view the ongoing situation of trade and Industry.

The participants of the meeting welcomed inauguration of Thar coal project and also appealed to the government to keep Kalabagh Dam alive. At the end of the meeting the COTHM Chief Executive hosted a dinner in the honor of PIAF Executive Committee Members.

For more information, Contact:
Khalil-ur-Rehman
Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front
110/s Kot Lakhpat Industrial Estate
Lahore, Pakistan
Phone: (92) 42 5123522
Fax: (92) 42 5123522
Email: Info@piaf.pk