ISLAMABAD - Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Monday appealed to the business community to cooperate with the government and identify those who are involved in gas and electricity theft.
“We will never tolerate those involved in gas or electricity theft”, emphasized the finance minister while talking to representative delegation of businessmen from Karachi Chamber of Commerce, Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Power Looms Association, Faisalabad.
Addressing the businessmen, the finance minister recounted the measures taken by the government to rejuvenate the economy. In this connection, he said that the government had already cleared the circular debt of Rs.480 billion which will result in easing the energy shortage facing business and industry.
The finance minister said that when the new government took over power the wheel of the economy had come to a virtual standstill due to various reasons. Senator Ishaq Dar said that we entered into a programme with IMF without compromising anything in the budget and in accordance with broad parameter of PML-N manifesto.
Senator Ishaq Dar expressed the confidence that the government of PM Mohammad Nawaz Sharif will succeed in steering the economy out of the present challenges and put it on the path of growth and prosperity.
Senator Ishaq Dar assured that the business community that their genuine grievances would be addressed promptly. We have to work together to build Pakistan. “We believe that it was essentially the private sector which had to play the role and the government would get involved only where private sector was shy of investment”, said the Finance Minister.
Senator Ishaq Dar said hat when our government was overthrown in 1999 the total debt of the country stood at Rs.3000 billion which now stands at Rs.14500 billion. We have to unite and work together to bring the economy out of the present situation. “I am confident that we will succeed by working together with the private sector and business community”, said Ishaq Dar.
The meeting was attended by prominent businessmen from Karachi, Sialkot and Faisalabad, and Chairman FBR Mr. Tariq Bajwa and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance.