ISLAMABAD   -   Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood Tuesday said that Pakistan’s exports went up by 7 percent as production line had gone up despite difficult environment.

He termed the project of Allama Iqbal Industrial City imperative for industrial development in the country.

He said that projects like Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC) would help the industry generate economic activities by attracting foreign and local investors besides enhancing volume to exports to meet the challenges of trade deficit. He expressed these views while talking to FIEDMC Chairman Mian Kashif Ashfaq during a meeting in Lahore today,” according to a message received here.  Chief Operating Officer FIEDMC Aamir Saleemi was also present on this occasion.

“The trade gap was narrowing down as exports were showing steadying trajectory while imports got reduced by $4 billion and overall current account deficit also improved,” he added.

He said that the situation on economic front was not as bad as being portrayed by some quarters and they were ready as well to correct things. However, he also conceded that the economic situation must have improved at much accelerated pace. He said that in term of quantity, the exports of garments went up by 29 percent, cement 25 percent, basmati rice 21 percent and footwear 26 percent in the current fiscal year.

Abdul Razak Dawood said that the government provided subsidy to export-oriented sector on electricity and gas and it would be continued in coming year. FIEDMC Chief Mian Kashif Ashfaq unfolding the distinctive features of  Allama Iqbal Industrial City to Advisor  said this sole project would house as many as 400 industries besides giving employments to 2,500, 00 people. He said approximately Rs400 billion foreign and local investments would be pumped into this project and development project is being carried out on fast track.

He further said FIDEMC always provided state of the art facilities to its customers besides resolving their issues through one window operation on top priority basis. He said the confidence of the investors on is being restored after completion of M3 project.

Mian Kashif said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has changed the image of the country within a short span of time since he formed the government in August last year. “Pakistan which suffered huge economic losses during the last 20-years due to militancy and war against terror, has now come out as a progressive new country under Imran’s leadership,” he added.