ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan was told on Friday that a total increase of $30 billion was possible in the current volume of country’s exports.
He was informed that in order to increase exports, it was possible to focus on 19 products, including IT, textiles, medicine, poultry, rice, vegetables and fruits, leather, salt, marble, ceramics and surgical instruments.
In this connection, PM Imran chaired a meeting here to review various steps taken by the government to increase exports. The meeting was attended by National Security Advisor Dr Moeed Yousaf, Special Assistant Dr Shahbaz Gill, secretaries of the Commerce and Energy divisions, and senior officials.
The Commerce Division informed the meeting that consultations were under way with all stakeholders including industrialists, exporters and the government agencies concerned. The PM stressed that all economic indicators were moving in a positive direction, but urgent steps were needed to reduce the gap between imports and exports. The government is making things easier for exporters: Targets must be set for Pakistan's trade and investment officers stationed abroad, the PM directed the Commerce Division.
The Commerce Division will submit the strategic export framework for approval in the next two weeks as per PM's directive. The prime minister said that diversification of markets and products was top priority of his government to increase country’s exports.
The PM said the Pakistani business community had immense potential. “Providing a conducive environment and business-friendly policies to the business community is government's top priority,” he noted. He said that the government had been pursuing the philosophy of formulating policies in consultation with the business community and a strong partnership between the government and the industry would continue. He added that while the government had strictly adhered to the policy of providing all possible facilities to the business community, the government expected the business community to take full advantage of the opportunities and fully support the government in stabilising the country’s economy.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister of Spain Jose Manuel Albares Bueno called on Prime Minister Imran Khan. The PM underlined the importance of a secure, stable and peaceful Afghanistan for Pakistan and the region. He said the changed reality in Afghanistan required a change in the world community’s outlook as well. He stressed that the well-being of the Afghan people had to be the utmost priority.
Prime Minister added that urgent measures were required to address the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people and to ensure economic stability of the country. The PM called for positive engagement of the international community to ensure the security situation in Afghanistan was stabilised, peace was preserved, and any mass exodus was precluded.
FM Albares lauded Pak efforts to facilitate the evacuation of nationals and personnel of diplomatic missions and international organisations. The PM promised Pakistan’s continued support in that regard.
The PM hoped that Pakistan-Spain relations would continue to be strengthened in all fields. He lauded the positive role of Pakistani diaspora in Spain. This year marks the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Spain and both sides would commemorate the milestone through specific events.
The PM also chaired a meeting on the issue of health cards in Punjab. The meeting was attended by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Shahbaz Gill, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid, Health/ Finance Minister Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Timur Saleem Jhagra and other senior officials.
The PM was informed that the process of distribution of about 40 million health cards in all 36 districts of Punjab would be completed from December 31 to March. The PM said the feedback of beneficiaries of the facility should be made a permanent part of the system so that any problem could be rectified in a timely manner. He also ordered for formation of special cells at federal and provincial levels to make implementation of the project effective.
Meanwhile, Punjab Industries Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal called on Prime Minister Imran Khan and briefed him about development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Punjab. The PM ordered for paying special attention to development of Faisalabad Industrial Estate to attract investors for economic growth.
The PM also ordered for preparing a feasibility of setting up an industrial estate in Mianwali, so that its natural resources could be utilised for development of cement, glass and steel industries.
