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Punjab plans 30-year industrial land leases | The Express Tribune

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Punjab plans 30-year industrial land leases | The Express Tribune



LAHORE:

The Punjab government is planning to introduce a long-term industrial land lease policy providing performance-based leases of 30-year terms or longer, aimed at boosting industrial activity across the province, a senior official said on Thursday.

Secretary Industries, Investment and Commerce Punjab, Muhammad Umar Masood, said the proposed framework would apply not only to SEZs but also to other industrial estates, with a formal announcement expected before Ramazan.

Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Faheemur Rehman Saigol said the industrial sector was under severe pressure, noting that industry’s share in GDP had fallen to 18% while large-scale manufacturing recorded negative growth of 1.5% in fiscal year 2024-25. He said rising costs, including high policy rates, taxation and energy prices, were driving capital flight.

Saigol urged federal action to abolish the Sindh Infrastructure Development Cess and highlighted a 40% decline in food exports, calling for incentives for agro-based industries. He also sought support for environmental compliance, SME financing, lower land prices and a long-term lease policy. Masood said stronger coordination with chambers and data-based dialogue were needed, adding that governance, infrastructure development and public-private partnerships were priorities. He said a one-window system would be introduced for environmental compliance and urged better use.



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Oil prices volatile as Trump talks up Iran negotiations

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Oil prices volatile as Trump talks up Iran negotiations



Crude rose back above $100 a barrel as the US and Iran clashed over bringing the conflict to an end.



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Trump says he could send National Guard to airports ‘for more help’

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Trump says he could send National Guard to airports ‘for more help’


President Donald Trump said he’s considering sending the National Guard to U.S. airports, two days after the administration deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to several major U.S. airports following hourslong waits for travelers because of the partial government shutdown.

In a Truth Social post Wednesday, Trump blamed Democrats for the shutdown, which began Feb. 14.

“Thank you to our great ICE Patriots for helping. It makes a big difference,” he wrote in his post. “I may call up the National Guard for more help.”

Travelers wait in line at a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta, Georgia, US, on Monday, March 23, 2026.

Elijah Nouvelage | Bloomberg | Getty Images

More than 11% of TSA officers called out on Wednesday and over 450 have quit since the shutdown started, the Department of Homeland Security said.

Elevated absences of Transportation Security Administration officers, who are required to work though they’re not getting paid during the shutdown, have contributed to long lines at major U.S. airports, including in Atlanta, Houston and New York.

Read more about the impact on air travel

The DHS, which oversees both ICE and and the TSA, said the ICE agents will “support airports facing the greatest strain” but the department didn’t respond to requests for comment on what the ICE agents’ duties are. ICE agents are getting paid in the shutdown.

Airlines have been warning customers about potentially long security lines, while executives grow increasingly frustrated with lawmakers about the impasse. On Tuesday, Delta Air Lines said it suspended its airport escorts and other special services for members of Congress and their staff because of the ongoing partial shutdown of the DHS.

The shutdown comes as Democrats in Congress have demanded changes to how federal immigration enforcement operates in exchange for releasing DHS funding after two U.S. citizens were shot and killed by ICE officers in Minneapolis.

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Families offered support with food costs over Easter holidays

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Families offered support with food costs over Easter holidays



Low-income families are being offered help with the cost of food during the Easter holidays.



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