Govt focusing on best environment for trade: minister

FAISALABAD: The 16th edition of Pakistan Lifestyle Furniture Expo was held at a local marquee on Canal Road here on Friday.

The event was inaugurated by Punjab Minister for CMIT Muhammad Ajmal Cheema. Pakistan Lifestyle Furniture Expo Director Zahra Faisal, Manager Operation Muhammad Ikram, Hammad Bin Nasir and representatives of business community were also present. During the expo, top 50 furniture brands of Pakistan were the major exhibitors.

The Punjab minister said that such exhibitions were availed as a great opportunity for the people who visited top 50 furniture brands under one roof and experienced a huge variety of furniture as well as a good price comparison. He said that the Punjab government was focusing on the best environment for the trade and commerce. He appreciated the arrangements during the event. He said that from the last few years, the PLFE had become greatest source of business for furniture industry of Pakistan and played a leading role in the growth of furniture brands. This exhibition also provided the younger designers and architects to see the market trends and display their own work alongside that of more established professionals, he added. He said that Pakistan’s wood industry was well-developed and captures 95pc of the country’s total market for furniture. He informed that the country had more than 700 units of wooden furniture while Chiniot alone meets 80pc of furniture demand in the country, Gujrat, with world-class furniture, Peshawar, Lahore and Karachi being important centres. The director of the Pakistan Lifestyle Furniture Expo said that import of furniture items could create a viable threat to unemployment in local furniture industry. The furniture industry in Pakistan had a great potential, she told. The skilled craftsmen could create unique pieces while large scale factories could produce many identical units in both cases, she added.

She said that the exhibition was a great initiative from the Pakistan Lifestyle and Furniture Expo for the furniture industry of Pakistan and such exhibitions would help expedite the growth of Pakistan furniture industry. The furniture Expo would remain open till March 8, she added.

OPEN COURT: Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali held an open court at Circuit House on Friday.

The officers of different departments were also present in the open court. The DC listened to the public complaints and directed the concerned departments for early solution to the public issues. Speaking on the occasion, the deputy commissioner said that weekly open court was being held to listen to the people’s complaints directly besides following the open-door policy of the Punjab government. He said that provision of every possible relief to the public was the mission of the district administration and public service departments had been mobilised in this regard. He assured that the genuine complaints of the citizens would not be left behind without prompt disposal. He told that the regular monitoring was being carried out of the departmental measures on public applications. He said that the concerned officers had been directed to take the public complaints very serious and every possible remedy be provided to the complainant as per their satisfaction. During the open court, the citizens presented complaints relating to the removal of encroachments, rectification of sewerage, vacation of illegal possessions and correction of the revenue record.

MEETING: The meeting of the District Price Control Committee was held here on Friday.

The meeting was chaired by Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali while ADC-R Mian Aftab Ahmad, Assistant Commissioners Umar Maqbool, Zainul Abidin, EADA Abdur Rehman, Do Industries Shahbaz Khan and other officers were also present. The DC said that the district administration was strictly implementing the officially fixed rates of the goods and in this regard negative trend of the price-hike would be discouraged. He asked the shopkeeper to get the fixed price from the consumers. The DC said that the purpose of the consecutive meetings of the District Price Control Committee was to convey the reduction of prices to the general consumers. He said that the price control magistrates were directed to conduct regular inspections of markets for implementing fixed prices of essential commodities.

OFFICIALS ASKED TO REMAIN IN FIELD FOR IMMEDIATE DISPOSAL OF RAINWATER: FDA Director General Muhammad Sohail Khawaja on Friday visited various localities to check the situation after heavy rain in the city.

He went to Canal Road, Service Road near Kashmir Bridge Underpass, Jaranwala Road, Allama Iqbal Colony, D-Type Colony, Sammundri Road, Samanabad, Dijkot Road, Iqbal Stadium Civil lines, Islam Nagar, Jail Road, Jinnah Colony, Narrwala Road, Ghulam Muhammadabad, Jhang Road and other areas of the city. He took strict notice of accumulation of rainwater on different roads and asked the Wasa officers to remain in field for the supervision of Wasa staff performance. He directed for immediate disposal of rainwater from the low-lying areas and said that relevant machinery must be mobilised in this regard. He emphasised upon devising comprehensive mechanism by the Wasa in case of rain forecast. He said that all disposal stations should be functional and the Wasa teams should be seen active in the field during and after rain for managing speedily discharge of rainwater. He advised that advanced arrangements should be made for the known low-lying areas in case of rain forecast.

He directed for best services of Wasa for providing all-out relief to the public and said that all roads in the city should be cleared from rainwater to save the citizens from difficulties. The FDA DG also interacted with the public during the visit of the city and assured them that every possible relief would be provided during and after rain. He said that several steps were being taken to raise the quality of the Wasa services.

REGISTRATION RENEWED: The Punjab Human Organ Transplant Authority (PHOTA) has renewed the registration of the Urology Department of the Allied Hospital for conducting kidney transplantation operations. According to a letter received by the Allied Hospital MS from the PHOTA, the registration had been awarded after the satisfactory report forwarded by divisional network in this regard. Head of Urology Department Prof Dr Ghulam Mehboob Subhani expressed his satisfaction over awarding registration by the PHOTA and said that the patients of renal failure could get free facilities of kidney transplantation. He told that a number of kidney transplantation operations had already been conducted in the department and entire medical facilities were available here.