LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has said that Pakistan is enriched with numerous mineral resources and there is a lot of potential in the mineral sector of the Punjab province. It is the need of the hour to utilize the mineral resources for the overall betterment of the country, he added.
He was talking to a representative delegation of All Pakistan Mines & Minerals Association (APMMA) led by its President Mir Behroz Baloch which called on him at his office here on Monday.
Talking on the occasion, the chief minister said that mineral resources will be utilized for public welfare and added that this would develop the mineral sector along with creating job opportunities. Various reforms have been introduced by the government to promote the mineral sector on modern lines, he added.
Usman Buzdar observed that the environmental impact of local coal’s utilization should also be monitored as smog and pollution have emerged as a major challenge. The government has taken different steps to overcome smog and environmental pollution and the brick-kilns are being transferred to zig-zag technology, he said.
The alternate model proposed by the All Pakistan Mines & Minerals Association for brick-kilns will be examined as well, he assured. Meanwhile, a composite policy has been devised for leasing out mines and ease of doing business policy has been adopted in the province.
The chief minister assured that necessary facilities will be provided to the mining sector, adding that a committee comprising of mines, environment, industries and forests departments’ officials will submit recommendations for the solution of problems being faced by the mining sector. The decision would be made in the light of feasible recommendations to move forward in this regard, he assured.
