FAISALABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that GDP growth at 5.37 percent is a daunting challenge and support of the private sector is imperative to achieve it by enhancing exports through prudent economic measures.
He was talking to a delegation of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) in the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Wednesday.
PM Khan said that economic revival is of prime importance as without it, we could not undertake massive uplift and development programmes to facilitate masses and hence the government was trying to facilitate the private sector enabling it to further accelerate the economic activities in the country.
He directed the Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar to remain in touch with the business community so that the issues of exporters regarding Fast Track Refund System, provision of electricity and gas could be ensured at regionally competitive rates. He also underlined the importance of the SME (Small & Medium Entrepreneur) sector and said that it is the backbone of the national economy and the government has decided to give it due facilities in the export policy.
About the establishment of a special economic zone in the industrial city, the prime minister directed the concerned ministries and divisions to take immediate steps to provide and improve the infrastructure facilities compatible to the global standards. He also directed that an international airport, hotel, theme park and hospital would also be constructed in Faisalabad on the model of public private partnership.
He said that he would also direct the concerned ministries to invite foreign firms interested to join in these projects. “As regards the government, we would provide them maximum facilities for the earlier materialization of these projects”, he added.
Regarding the reservations of the business community of Faisalabad to declare Jaranwala as a separate and independent district, he asked the President FCCI to sit with the local stakeholders and parliamentarians to resolve this issue amicably. He assured that he would immediately accept their unanimous decision made through consensus.
He also assured that Pindi-Bhattian to Faisalabad motorway (M4) would be expanded to 6 lanes to accommodate ever increasing traffic load on this route. He appreciated the decision of FCCI to organize the Pakistan Economic Conference and said that all concerned ministries are being directed to collaborate with FCCI to make this event a total success. He assured the president FCCI that he would try his best to participate in the concluding session of this three-day activity as chief guest.
Earlier, President FCCI Atif Munir Sheikh welcomed the health card scheme and said that the government should also launch an education card scheme on the same pattern to enhance the dismally poor literacy rate in the country.
He termed smart lock down policy of the government during pandemic as a game changer and said that this innovative idea of Prime Minister Imran Khan has saved Pakistan from the curse of uncontrolled unemployment which also played a major role in enhancing our exports despite global meltdown.
He appreciated the prudent economic policies of the government and said that a growth rate of 5.37 percent is a big achievement and the business community would fully support the government to maintain this tempo in the coming years.
Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, Federal Minister Asad Umar, State Minister for Information & Broadcasting Mr. Farrukh Habib and Provincial Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal were also present in the meeting in addition to the local parliamentarians.
