LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has given approval to rename Garments Industrial Zone as 'Punjab Apparel Park' whereas a Board of Management has also been constituted for running the PAP affairs.

This was decided at a high level meeting presided over by the Chief Minister and attended by Provincial Ministers Tanvir Aslam, Muhammad Shafique, Advisor Dr. Ijaz Nabi, MPA Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Senior Member Board of Revenue, P&D Chairman, secretaries concerned, the PIEDMC senior officials and industrialists associated with garments industry, according to a handout issued here Saturday. It was also decided that renowned industrialist Muhammad Ahsan would be Chairman of the PAP Board of Management.

On this occasion, Shahbaz Sharif said that all persons in the Board had been taken from private sector. Punjab Apparel Park would be set up at 1,500 acres of land with 1,170 plots of different sizes, while an amount of Rs 2.5 billion had been released for acquiring the land, he added.

The Chief Minister said that a hospital, vocational training institute, playgrounds and other necessary facilities would be ensured in the park, besides installation of a modern treatment plant and 12 acres of land had been allocated for skill development centre. He said that special outsourced transport system would be provided for pick and drop of labourers and a labour colony would also be established in the Park.

A modern hall would also be constructed in the Park for exhibition of industrial products and a power plant of 25 megawatt would initially be set up for providing uninterrupted electricity to the industries, he said and assured that quality construction of sewerage, water supply, drainage and roads in the park would be maintained.

The Chief Minister said that with GSP-Plus status, the PAP project would flourish garments sector and help accelerate industrialization in Punjab by bringing billions of rupees investment, besides creating new jobs and increasing the export volume substantially. Investors from China, Turkey, Middle East and Europe would be invited to set up garments projects, whereas investment opportunities would also be available to the local industrialists in Punjab Apparel Park, he maintained.

The Chief Minister directed the quarters concerned that legal framework regarding implementation of the project should be finalized at the earliest and the project's master plan be evolved immediately.

(APP)