LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Business Plan Competition was won by the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore College for Women University and the University of Management and Technology, grabbing the first, second and third positions, respectively.
The Business Plan Competition was held at the Chief Minister’s House and MNA Hamza Shahbaz Sharif was the chief guest on the occasion. The competition was part of the Lahore Shopping Festival 2012.Separately, a student of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) took first position in the LCCI photography competition held at the City Heritage Museum, there also Hamza Shahbaz was the chief guest.At the photography competition both second and third prizes went to the Punjab University.
LCCI President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh, Senior Vice President Kashif Younis Meher, Vice President Saeeda Nazar, Sheikh Muhammad Arshad, MNA Pervaiz Malik and LCCI Executive Committee Member Nasir Saeed were among the speakers.The winners of the photography competition included Jamal Nasir of the UVAS, and Awais Ali Sheikh and Jawad Khalid of the Punjab University, respectively. The Business Plan that took first three positions included Nutritif Farms, Dehydrated Egg Powder and Mosquito Repellent. A special prize of Rs 15,000 was given to the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) for presenting a plan on Exotic Security Intelligence, while another special prize of Rs 10,000 went to the Hailey College of Banking and Finance.
Addressing the participants of the Business Plan and photo competitions, Hamza Shahbaz said that education was the only answer to multiple internal and external problems being faced by the country and that was the only reason the Punjab government was making all out efforts to impart education to all.He called for preparation and implementation of long-term policies to bring the country out of multiple challenges it had been facing for years.Hamza Shahbaz said that the country was fortunate that more than 50 percent of its population was below the age of 25 years, and that the people had the potential to change the destiny of the country.
He said that it was strange that the countries which were far behind Pakistan only 50 years ago, were now fast making their place in the developed countries.He said that the government, in consultation with the private sector, would have to evolve out-of-box solution to cope with ongoing crisis-like situation.He said that the Lahore Shopping Festival had given a lease of life to the Lahoris who were looking for such beautiful functions. He said that the Punjab government would continue to support all such events aimed at strengthening the economy of the country.
The LCCI president urged the students to focus on their studies as the country was in dire need of innovative entrepreneurs. He said that there was no dearth of resources in the country, but the only thing that had kept it behind was lack of awareness about the latest business techniques, and that the education was the only way to success.
He said that the LCCI would continue to arrange business competition plans so that the industry gets skilled and competent people. The competition would also help students interact with premier bodies of the business community like the LCCI, he said. He thanked the leading businessmen who performing as jury at the competition. – Dailytimes
