PM calls for rebranding Pakistan

KARACHI/KOHAT  -  Caretaker Prime Minister An­waarul Haq Kakar on Thursday reiterating the government’s commitment to providing a con­ducive environment and stream­lining regulations urged the lo­cal business community to take advantage of the Special Invest­ment Facilitation Council (SIFC).

The prime minister, address­ing the ceremony for distribu­tion of Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) Awards to top 25 compa­nies of the country for the year 2022, said the caretaker gov­ernment’s ultimate goal was to provide a blueprint for the next government. He said the govern­ment had sought help from the Pakistan Army to facilitate the business environment through the SIFC forum.

He told the gathering that the measures taken by the govern­ment, including the crackdown on smuggling, illicit foreign cur­rency trade and power theft, had yielded results, triggering market sentiments and propel­ling the Pakistan Stock Exchange by 33% in November to the his­toric 60,000-point mark, besides boosting investors’ confidence.

Welcoming the private sector to invest and take advantage of the government’s measures, he called for building and rebrand­ing Pakistan. He said the privat­ization process was underway that would also have positive impacts on the economy. The prime minister, who also dis­tributed awards among the top 25 companies, said the PSX mir­rored the vibrancy of the corpo­rate sector and highlighted the symbiotic relations between the government’s policies and the prosperity of the businesses. 

He emphasized the inherent responsibility of Corporate So­cial Responsibility (CSR), urging businesses to adopt it as a mor­al obligation rather than mere rhetoric. He also urged busi­ness leaders to embrace digital evolution and collaborate with higher education institutions.

Prime Minister Kakar urged the corporate sector to explore opportunities in regions like Economic Cooperation Orga­nization (ECO), Caucasus, and the unexplored around 1.3 bil­lion African population. He em­phasized the need to prepare for $36 trillion trade activity expected to take place in China within 10-15 years. He encour­aged soul-searching and im­provement of approaches to en­vision Pakistan as the economic power of the region. 

He said Pakistan a 240 mil­lion nation with immense nat­ural resources like four sea­sons, mountains, and others as well as the youth bulge was des­tined to rise. The prime minis­ter said the award ceremony to recognize outstanding compa­nies was a testament to cooper­ation between the government and the corporate sector. 

He congratulated award-win­ning companies on their ex­traordinary performance and said such ceremonies would create a culture of healthy com­petition to inspire more firms. In her address, Caretaker Fi­nance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar expressed the synergies between the Pakistan Stock Ex­change and her professional journey. Emphasizing the vis­ible potential of the PSX, with a noteworthy gain in the last quarter of 2023, she highlight­ed the government’s collabo­rative efforts that enabled the swift stabilization of the econo­my within a short period.

‘Educated youth can ensure a bright future for homeland’

Caretaker Prime Minister An­waarul Haq Kakar has empha­sised for equipping the youth with modern education coupled with strict work ethics to cope with the challenges of the ever competitive and rapidly evolv­ing world. Addressing the 58th Parents’ Day Ceremony at Ca­det College Kohat, he said an educated youth imbued with high moral values can ensure a bright future for the homeland.

The prime minister noted the society cannot develop without well rounded scheme of educa­tion. Modern education espe­cially in the field of science and technology guarantees the ma­terial prosperity of a nation but an enlightened and tolerant na­tion at peace with itself and the world is the key to stability and harmony in the society.

Highlighting the central role of teachers in the overall educa­tion system, the prime minister urged the faculty to pay full at­tention to groom and guide the future of our country by induc­ing a high sense of purpose in them. He said the parents also have to shoulder their part of the responsibility in imparting better training and grooming of the youth. Referring to the aca­demic excellence of Cadet Col­lege Kohat, the prime minister urged the cadets to concen­trate on their studies and take full advantage of the time and facilities available to achieve success in their lives. In his re­marks, Principal Cadet College Kohat retired Brigadier Tu­fail Muhammad Khan said our commitment has been to equip the cadets with wholesome ed­ucation to enable them to cope with future challenges of life.