Lahore: Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar on Thursday announced Rs5 billion as a special relief package for the victims of Hafeez Center inferno.
The announcement was made by the Chief Minister at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). The Chief Minister spent over one hour at LCCI and listened to the affectees patiently.
The Chief Minister said the Bank of Punjab (BOP) will provide soft loans to the fire victims and for that purpose a special desk of BOP has been established very near to the Hafeez Center.
The BoP will finance at affordable prices under Kamyab Jawan & Punjab Rozgar Scheme and BOP Apni Dokan, adding it will also provide flexible financial solutions to cater renovation of existing shop / office premises, Purchase of new shop / office premises, Purchase of inventory / stocks to restart the business activities.
Furthermore, the Chief Minister said that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has announced the refunds of the Hafeez Center fire victims on priority basis.
Sardar Usman Buzdar said the BOP has also offered 135 shops (owned by bank) available at IT Tower Lahore at affordable terms.
The Chief Minister said to further the business activity in Punjab, the government has planned to establish 13 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Punjab, The work has commenced on SEZs in Faislabad and Lahore, adding the SEZ in Bahawlpur and Muzafargarh will be announced soon.
He said that the PTI government has always supported the business community. The government has given Rs. 57 billion tax relief to the business community due to COVID -19, adding that the government has reduced the rate of provincial sales tax on thirteen sectors mostly affected by the COVID-19.
