LAHORE: Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman visited the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Regional Office in Lahore, where they held a consultative session with the business community on the promotion of industrialisation in the province. The session was attended by FPCCI Regional Chairman and Vice President Zaki Ejaz, former caretaker Federal Minister for Commerce Dr Gohar Ejaz, UBG patron-in-chief S M Tanveer, presidents of various chambers, and chairmen of trade associations. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the consultative session with FPCCI was aimed at understanding the challenges faced by the industry. She emphasised that the chief minister of Punjab’s primary focus is on industrial growth in the province, for which a dedicated committee has been established to consult with all relevant stakeholders. She added that consultations with industrialists regarding the promotion of industry are ongoing. The minister further stated that the Punjab government has been paying special attention to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for the past two years, and amendments have also been made to the public-private partnership law. The committee has been tasked with identifying ways to facilitate the development of industrial clusters, export-led growth, energy sustainability, and tariff-related issues, with the ultimate goal of reducing the cost of doing business so that the business community can compete with other countries in the international market. Marriyum Aurangzeb also noted that the business community itself acknowledged that the law and order situation in the province is satisfactory, adding that improved law and order will naturally lead to greater business activity and economic growth. Speaking to the media on the occasion, S M Tanveer said that the purpose of the meeting was to chart a course for industrialisation in Punjab. He expressed confidence that in line with Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz’s vision, a new era of industrialisation will dawn in the province, bringing with it industrial growth and the creation of employment opportunities for the people. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026