MULTAN, Sept 22: The chief minister has said the industrial estate, consisting of 670 acres, will create 100,000 job opportunities in Multan while the excepted investment is Rs16.5 billion.

Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi said this while addressing industrialists, traders and the general public after the inauguration of an Industrial State Phase II here on Friday.

The chief minister said the government would provide loans on half of bank’s mark-up rate to investors for small industries to accelerate the pace of development in neglected areas.

He said the present government had spent Rs50 billion for carrying out development work during the last four years in southern Punjab.

Earlier, the chief minister presided over a meeting after his visit to the under-construction Multan Institute of Cardiology. Later, he also laid the foundation stone of the Multan Press Club and the PTV center.

While inaugurating the PTV center, the chief minister said in his address that he himself had asked President Pervez Musharraf for the establishment of a TV station in Multan.

He said the local TV center would promote regional cultural activities highlighting the cultural heritage of Multan and adjoining areas.

The people, he said, would be able to express their talent in their own language while it would also provide a platform to local artists to prove their capabilities.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Tariq Azeem Khan announced an additional 15 days salary for PTV employees who were working on Multan center project.

During his visit to the under-construction building of the press club, the chief minister directed officials to accelerate work on the project for the journalist colony in Multan.

Pervaiz Elahi also visited the Circuit House and held meetings with MNAs, MPAs, nazims. A delegation of the

High Court Bar Association (Multan bench) also met with him.

The chief minister has condoled Qari Muhammad Hanif Jallundhri on the death of Mufti Abdul Sattar.

Federal Agriculture Minister Sikandar Hayat Bosan, Punjab Agriculture Marketing Minister Rana Qasim Noon, Literacy Minister Hussain Jehanian Gardezi, advisor to Chief Minister Iqbal Khan Khakwani, City District Nazim Mian Faisal Mukhtar and Senator Tariq Azeem were also present on the occasion.