Punjab prioritises e- business promotion, trains 400,000 youth: Maryam Nawaz

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of Punjab Innovation for Value, Opportunity and Transformation in Lahore, Maryam Nawaz said Punjab was Pakistan's largest province in terms of population and the world was undergoing rapid transformation, with every sector, including industry, experiencing significant changes. She said no country could achieve progress without adapting to changing global requirements.

The chief minister said Punjab played an important role in the national economy and had a significant share in the country's gross domestic product (GDP). She added that the pharmaceutical industry in Punjab was also developing rapidly, while the country's young population could become its greatest asset.

Maryam Nawaz said providing businesspeople with peace of mind was essential for promoting economic activities. She stressed that law and order played a fundamental role in creating a business-friendly environment, adding that businesses could not operate amid unrest and uncertainty.

Questioning the impact of frequent protests and vandalism on economic activities, she asked how workers could perform their duties in an environment where demonstrations and property destruction took place regularly. She said the Punjab government was promoting e-business, had trained 400,000 young people in one year and provided financial assistance to small and medium-sized businesses.

The chief minister said ensuring a secure environment was the first requirement for attracting investment. While acknowledging the importance of environmental protection, she said shutting down factories in its name was not an appropriate approach.

She stressed the need to make industries environmentally friendly and ensure their proper monitoring. Maryam Nawaz said the provincial government was providing technical training to young people and facilitating those seeking employment abroad through the Parwaz Card initiative.

She added that playing with children's lives was unacceptable under any circumstances. She further said action was being taken against land-grabbing groups and encroachments had been removed to widen marketplaces., illegal occupations dating back 25 years had also been cleared.

The chief minister alleged that patwaris and tehsildars were involved in corruption, adding that instead of eliminating corruption, the Anti-Corruption Department itself had emerged as an area where significant corruption was found. Maryam Nawaz said Pakistan had a large young population and a hardworking workforce.

She stressed the need to train young people, provide a business-friendly environment and create more employment opportunities.