SIALKOT: Prime Minister Imran Khan says the government will extend full facilitation to the business community for industrialization and enhancement of exports.

He was addressing a gathering of business community after inauguration of Air Sial airlines in Sialkot today.

The Prime Minister assured that hurdles in the way of promotion of businesses will be removed.

He said special steps are being taken to encourage Small and Medium Enterprises.

The Prime Minister said industrialization and increase in exports will lead to wealth creation and enhancement of foreign exchange reserves.

He expressed confidence that Sialkot, Gujranwala and Gujrat will become a key region of exports in the country.

He congratulated the business community of Sialkot for building an airport and launching an airline with their own resources.

Referring to China's model of inclusive development, Imran Khan said the biggest objective of his government is to uplift the living standard of the poor and bring backward areas at par with other parts of the country.

He said special focus is being laid on the less developed regions such as Balochistan, merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.

About the Covid-19 challenge, the Prime Minister said Pakistan is one of the few countries that better handled the pandemic in its first phase. He said the government's policy of protecting the lives and livelihood of people proved quite effective.

He said now in the second wave, people again need to follow the SOPs so that the pandemic could be overcome. He regretted that the opposition that had been criticizing the government for not observing complete lockdown is now holding public gatherings.