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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed the relevant ministries and authorities to engage with the businessmen and prepare within a week for biweekly sector-wise special meetings with business community he will chair to work out tangible action plans to boost national economy.
The prime minister was talking to the delegation of prominent businessmen from across the country who called on him at the Prime Minister’s House. The businessmen delegation was led by Gohar Ejaz.
The prime minister announced that he was providing lead time of one week to the ministers and relevant authorities to engage with the businessmen to prepare for the sector specific meeting to be held on next Thursday to be chaired by him.
He said that a four member delegation from the businessmen community would represent their respective sectors whereas the government side would be led by the secretary of the relevant ministry. The meeting is aimed at holding focussed interactions and making decisions and the first such meeting will discuss the agriculture sector, he added.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the macroeconomic indicators were improving gradually whereas the government had set its priority to target exports, employment, agriculture and other critical sectors to revive the struggling national economy.
“The government will only act as a catalyst to make enabling environment for businessmen to invest and attract global investors as investments is always led by local investors and then direct foreign investment ensues.
It is the businessmen who have to drive the wheel of economy and the government is their facilitators,” the prime minister remarked.
Referring to the Department for Plant Protection set up for research in rice crops, he said the plant instead proved to be a “plant of destruction” as it remained in shambles despite Chinese grant to Pakistan in 2005 for the state-of-the-art rice research facility in Karachi.
He regretted that the businessmen fraternity overlooked the matter which was of critical importance for them.
On the occasion, the country’s business community expressed its confidence in the policies of the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and paid tribute to the government for providing a conducive environment for the business community and investors.
“A sincere and honest business community is our valuable asset. You all invested your capital in this country even in difficult times for the country’s industrial and economic development. Thanks to your efforts, the country’s economy has been moving and people have found employment. With your advice and useful opinions, the country’s economy will continue its journey of improvement and reforms in all sectors,” the prime minister said.
He added that the country’s economy was moving in the right direction as the interest and inflation rates have decreased significantly.
Prime Minister Shehbaz said that the aim of the consultation with businessmen was to accelerate the development of the country’s economy, whereas trade officers posted abroad were provided with clear targets for the promotion of trade and exports.
In the meeting, the participants expressed full confidence in the government’s business-friendly policies. The participants paid tribute to the government for the establishment of the National Seed Development Authority to ensure the provision of quality seeds for the development of agriculture in the country. They also praised the government’s Green Pakistan Initiative.
The delegation included Gohar Ijaz, Syed Yawar Ali, Atif Sheikh, Fawad Mukhtar, Shahid Hussain, SM Tanveer, Mian Ahsan, Saleem Ghauri, Shahzad Malik, Usman Malik, Atif Inam and Shahzad Asghar.
The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Ahad Khan Cheema, Jam Kamal Khan, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Attaullah Tarar, Ali Pervez Malik, Hanif Abbasi, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar, Coordinator to the Prime Minister Rana Ehsan Afzal, Chairman FBR Rashid Mahmood Langrial and relevant senior officials.
