Govt. to facilitate investors more

KARACHI : The Federal Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz has stated that the government would provide all facilities to multinational and foreign investors who are willing to exploit potential of Pakistan economy.

He said this while addressing members of Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) here at the chamber office.

The finance minister said that menace of invoicing would be stopped and all requests made by the members for addressing Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA’s) and Forced Trade Agreement (FTA’s) would be looked into.

President M. Farooq Rahmatullah welcoming the minister recognised the government economic reform agenda, he also asked the minister to take appropriate measures to make the environment friendlier.

Minister said manufacturing sector has also been very buoyant and has grown at the rate of 15 per cent per annum. As a result of all this, the GDP is likely to grow between 5.5 to 6.0 per cent per annum.

http://www.pakistanlink.com/headline...h04/31/06.html


Promotion of agriculture: laser technology being introduced in Sialkot

SIALKOT: Sialkot District Government has adopted special measures for the promotion and expansion of agriculture on modern and scientific lines in the district.

Official sources told Business Recorder here on Friday that the Sialkot District Government was spending Rs 20 million during the current fiscal year on introducing laser technology for land levelling and improvement of watercourses in the district.

"In order to ensure and to avoid wastage of water, 132 watercourses are being improved in Daska, Sialkot and Pasrur tehsils," he said, adding, "the District Government is also mobilising Rs 110 million for the completion of new and on-going schemes pertaining to farm-to-market roads in these tehisils."

Besides, local agriculture department was making hectic efforts for motivating the growers and farmers for adopting modern farm techniques aimed at enhancing per acre yield of different crops in these three tehsils of the district.

The step has been taken for ensuring sufficient water for irrigation purposes to the tail-end farmers of these tehsils.

In addition to this, three forest nurseries have also been set up and over 10.5 million plants and saplings of different kinds have been prepared to facilitate the people in the district. As many as 36,000 plants have been planted along with link roads while efforts are being made for planting ornamental plants in forest nurseries, sources added.

WHEAT HARVESTING:
The wheat harvesting would be started in the third week of April in Sialkot district.

The agriculture department sources told Business Recorder here on Friday that over 40 million acres of land had been brought under wheat crop in Sialkot, Daska and Pasrur Tehsils.

The overall condition of wheat crop is quite satisfactory in the area and it is expected that the production of wheat crop would be exceeded as compared to the previous year that will help in attaining the fixed target easily.

http://www.pakissan.com/english/news...iculture.shtml