LAHORE, Oct 30: The government would introduce one roof facility for traders so they get their problems resolved under the same roof, instead of running from one department to another.

This was stated by Federal Industries Minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi while addressing the new office bearers and members of the executive committee of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Thursday.

Earlier, the LCCI president Anjum Nisar complained that the bureaucracy had an aggressive attitude towards the business community and officials of various government departments tease the traders on one pretext or the other.

The minister said that he was aware of the government officials behaviour towards the businessmen. The businessmen were respectable persons and deserved due regard. “After all you are the persons who export Pakistani goods worth billions of dollars.”

He said that his ministry proposed to redress this genuine complaint of the traders and proposed that a high powered committee comprising representatives of various departments should be set up which should look into the traders problems under one roof. He said that the proposal would be submitted to the federal cabinet soon, which, he expressed the hope, would be approved.

He asked the Lahore businessmen to set up an Export Processing Zone (EPZ) somewhere near the Motorway to attract investment, both foreign and local, in the province. He expressed the hope that the provincial government would extend necessary infrastructure facilities for the EPZ. The chamber men told the minister that the previous government made plans to set up an EPZ in Lahore but it could not be materialized.

The minister also disclosed that the federal government had decided to set up a Business Support Centre at Lahore like the one set up at PIDC House at Karachi which was recently opened by the Prime Minister. He said that the support centre would help attract investment in this part of the country besides, providing necessary data and advice to the prospective investors regarding the infrastructure facilities like the provision of land, power, gas and water connections.