PESHAWAR, July 23: The NWFP government will take up the issue of ban imposed by the Punjab government on the inter-provincial movement of wheat with the federal government.

This was stated by NWFP Minister for Industries and Commerce Malik Zafar Azam at a meeting held at the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Tuesday, a press release said.

The minister said the provincial government would take up the issue when the MMA senior leaders, who were on foreign visits, returned home.

Mr Azam said that instead of allowing wheat transportation, Punjab provided flour to the NWFP calling upon the Frontier province to devise a policy for sending goods, instead of raw material to other provinces.

He said the government was willing to reduce commercial tariff of electricity to boost industrial sector in the province.

“All outstanding issues of the NWFP will be discussed with the Centre when the MMA leaders come back,” the minister said.

Mr Azam said the NWFP government would work out a plan to allow land-route exports to Afghanistan and Central Asian States from the Risalpur Export Processing Zone and proposals in this regard would be discussed with the federal government.

He said the MMA government was making efforts to create investor-friendly environment in the province.

The provincial government, he said, would approach the federal government to establish another export processing zone in the province.

The minister appreciated the efforts of the business community for holding a trade fair in Peshawar to attract investors from Afghanistan.