Islamabad (Web Desk): Punjab Group chairman Mian Aamer Mahmood said the biggest challenge facing Pakistan's business sector is the lack of close engagement between the government and entrepreneurs.
He stressed that many issues could be resolved if the country's leadership remained accessible and listened directly to the concerns of the business community.
Mian Amer said that Punjab has become an administratively oversized province, while the populations of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have continued to grow over the years. However, administrative units have not expanded in proportion to the rising population.
He noted that administrative boundaries have been revised in the past, recalling that Bahawalpur was merged into Punjab while Khairpur became part of Sindh.
The Punjab Group chief said that provinces have previously undergone territorial changes, adding that the time has come to establish new administrative units to improve governance.
He pointed out that Punjab's population has reached around 130 million, but Pakistan is failing to match the pace of global development.
Mian Amer expressed concern that nearly 25 million children remain out of school, while around 40 percent of children do not have access to adequate nutrition.
He questioned how the country could build a productive future workforce if children were deprived of education and proper food.
Amer further said Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only countries where polio has yet to be eradicated, emphasizing the need for more effective measures to eliminate the disease.
Referring to India, he said the country expanded its administrative units, creating greater opportunities for development.
Mian Amer added that although movements for new provinces have emerged in Pakistan from time to time, any new provinces should be established solely on administrative grounds.
He maintained that increasing the number of administrative units would not necessarily raise government spending.
Instead, he argued that improved governance could reduce costs while ensuring more efficient delivery of healthcare, education and other essential public services.
Mian Amer Mahmood also praised former caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, saying he had performed exceptionally well during his tenure as caretaker chief minister.