Recently, Prime Minister Imran Khan appointed Mian Kashif Ashfaq, FIEDMC Chairman as a special representative for his COVID-19 Relief Fund drive. This honour highlights how the PM entrusts Mian Kashif with national responsibilities, and not only the relief fund.
Reports say that Mian Kashif will be responsible for several tasks. These include, proposing measures to encourage people and businesses to increase contributions to the PM’s coronavirus relief fund.
Mian Kashif will also keep Khan updated about the fund collection drive firsthand. Moreover, he will handle several operations. These include interacting with stakeholders, identifying problems related to the drive and thereby, proposing remedial measures.
Furthermore, this job also requires the FIEDMC chairman to work with Khurshid Alam, a prominent businessman and social activist. It is important to notice that Alam is the official focal person for Prime Minister’s COVID-19 pandemic Relief Fund drive.
This occasion highlighted that the PM entrusts Mian Kashif with national responsibilities, for which Mian Kashif was publically grateful. He further announced that this was an honorary position – hinting that there will be no remuneration for the job.
Read more: FIEDMC: Reopening of industries important to avoid financial
FIEDMC’s efforts to curb the pandemic
Mian Kashif then shed light on FIEDMC’s contributions to the cause. He shared that he has contributed Rs 10 million to the said fund and Rs 4.5 million to chief minister Punjab’s coronavirus fund. He also handed over a donation of 75,000 N95 masks, surgical masks, PPE, disinfection material and other equipment to Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.
The FIEDMC Chairman believes that we had to fight the war against coronavirus with only wisdom. This is because our country did not have ample resources, such as countries like China and the United States. Mian Kashif vowed to protect the frontline workers fighting against the contagion. No wonder the PM entrusts Mian Kashif with the job!
“The poor families will be provided rations without any political discrimination”, he said. Kashif then pleaded that this was not the time to play politics, but it’s time to come together and fight the deadly coronavirus with unity among all ranks. He said that the industrialists fully support the government’s efforts in dealing with coronavirus.
He further appealed to the privileged minority to step forth and help provide for the unemployed and the deprived. Mian Kashif believes that joint efforts by the government, institutions and people will stamp out the pandemic and help overcome the crisis.
Read more: Chairman FIEDMC, Mian Kashif donates Rs. 10 million for COVID-19 relief fund
The FIEDMC chairman further said, “Now under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan would come out of the crisis of coronavirus pandemic. His monetary policies will give significant relief to the business community and allow the masses to bring the economy back on the track. This way, our country will succeed in attaining its due share in international markets”.
FIEDMC and its Industrial Cities
Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC) is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) entity between the Punjab government and the Faisalabad business community. The Government of Punjab set up this entity in 2004 as a public listed company, established by the Government of Punjab. Jahangir Khan Tareen undertook this whole operation during his tenure as ‘Adviser to CM Punjab on Special Initiatives’.
Read more: FIEDMC is taking strict measures against coronavirus
Since FIEDMC’s inception, it has successfully constructed three industrial estates along Faisalabad motorway; namely: M-3 Industrial City, Value Addition City and the latest, Allama Iqbal Industrial City (AIIC).
Allama Iqbal Industrial City saw its groundbreaking at the hands of Prime Minister Imran Khan, on Friday 3rd January 2020. It expands over an area of 3200 acres and is the first prioritized CPEC special economic zone. The economic zone is strategically located opposite M-3 Industrial City and interconnected through flyover at Sahianwala Interchange, Motorway M-4, Faisalabad.