Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan announced that Faisalabad will become Pakistan's first circular city, stating the move is intended to set the nation on a growth path.
Speaking at a gathering of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI), he praised the business community for trying to stabilise the economy despite serious challenges.
The governor pointed out a disconnect between industry and academia and said he will order vice chancellors to visit their chambers to learn about business concerns.
He added that universities will be asked to form committees and appoint focal persons to liaise with the business sector, while a focal person from the Governor's Secretariat will also be named to resolve issues without bureaucratic delays.
Regarding Pakistan's economy, he noted the high cost of electricity, energy and interest rates, along with heavy taxation, explaining that taxes are taken from employees' wages while existing taxpayers are being squeezed rather than expanding the tax base.
The governor said he will try to arrange a meeting between FCCI and President Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and will request Bilawal to visit FCCI for direct dialogue with businessmen.
On the murder of a local businessman, he promised to raise the matter at the highest level and order authorities to arrest the perpetrators within hours.
Earlier, FCCI President Arif Ehsan Malik welcomed the governor and urged that Faisalabad be declared the first textile circular city of Pakistan, noting that textile waste is already being recycled into new products and calling for a joint pilot project in an industrial cluster to treat effluent for reuse.
Malik also emphasized the need for an IT university campus in the city to systematically promote information technology.
