Karachi - Prime Minister Imran Khan has said the government will steer the country out of economic mess, as he also assured the business community of protection and promotion of investment in the country.

During his second visit to Karachi on Sunday, the prime minister said the government would eradicate unemployment through expansion of industries and cap the gap between imports and exports.

He spent a busy day holding meetings with delegations of the Pakistan Stock Exchange, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and different traders’ associations as well as Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.

Speaking to PSX delegation led by its Chairman Suleman Mehdi, Premier Khan said he was in the port city along with his entire economic team to know about the problems being faced by the business community and take their suggestions for improving the national economy.

Upon being informed about the issues being faced by the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), he assured the delegation that PTI government will take measures for stabilising the market.

He was of the view that Pakistan is full of natural resources and opportunities for foreign investment but the ideal environment had been missing in the past. “A country progresses only when the environment for investment is ideal.”

The PM said, “Foreign investors are investing their capital in the country because there is huge potential for investment. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government came up with a positive mindset and different game plan than that of the previous governments,” said Imran.

Imran Khan said Pakistan is passing through a tough time but this phase would be over soon. “We want equal development in all parts of the country”, he said, adding that reduction in poverty rate across Pakistan is the priority of his government.

Speaking about employment opportunities, the Premier said that youth would be taught different skills so that unemployment ratio could be reduced. He also reiterated his resolve to root out corruption from society.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Planning and Development Minister Khusro Bakhtiar, Information and Technology Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Water Resources Minister Faisal Vawda, State Minister for Revenue Hammad Azhar, Adviser to PM Dr Ishrat Hussaain, and Special Assistants to PM Naeemul Haq and Iftikhar Durrani were also present on the occasion.

The visiting delegation apprised the Premier of various matters regarding the stock market and put forward the proposals for financial stability, most of which were accepted by the prime minister.

The businessmen assured the PM of extending all out support to the government for its financial policies. The delegation felicitated Imran for assuming the PM office and lauded the efforts of government’s economic team for economic stability.

 

 

Meeting with KCCI, FPCCI delegations

In his meeting with a delegation of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), the prime minister asked the industrialists to give suggestions for promotion of industry.

Under previous proposals by the industrialists and businessmen, the revenue and policy wings of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) were separated, so that effective planning and its implementation could be ensured.

The KCCI delegation which called on the PM included prominent industrialists Siraj Qasim Teli, Tahir Khaliq, Haroon Agar, Shamim Firpo, Junaid Ismail Makda and others.

The delegation apprised the prime minister about different issues of industries in Karachi and made certain suggestions for the expansion of industry.

The issues of gas supply to industry, controlling power theft, increase in exports and small and medium enterprises also came under discussion.

Prime Minister Imran Khan told the delegation that instructions had already been passed by the cabinet regarding provision of complete protection to the poor during the anti-encroachment drive.

In his meeting with a delegation of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI), Prime Minister Imran Khan reiterated his resolve to steer the country out of the difficult times.

He maintained that the country was not deficient in anything, the only thing it needed was an investors-friendly environment, which will be created by PTI government.

The delegation presented different suggestions and apprised the prime minister about their issues, over which the prime minister issued prompt directions.

 

 

 

Governor House meeting

Earlier in the day, prime minister was received by Sindh Governor Imran Ismail at the airport along with other party leaders. Later, they met at Governor House and discussed different matters related to development of the province.

Speaking to media after the meeting, Imran Ismail said that they took many important decisions in the meeting. He said the main purpose of Imran’s arrival was to take the business community into confidence.

“They (representatives of business community) have shown their confidence in the government and pledged to support its fiscal policies,” he added.

The governor said the PSX delegation presented recommendations out of which many were approved the Premier. He expressed the hope that the country’s economy would improve significantly soon.

 

Separately, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and the PM had lunch together. The CM urged the prime minister to fulfil the federation’s commitment for K-IV and Karachi Circular Railway projects.

On Imran’s enquiry, Murad told him the provinces can work with the federal government as long as they recognise each others’ r constitutional jurisdiction.

The PM reminded the CM that in the last term the federal government of PML-N used to carry out projects of electricity and gas by itself in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – where PTI was in power.

The chief minister told that federal government was more than welcome to do these projects in Sindh as these items were in the federal domain. He urged the PM to spend more on electricity and gas projects in Sindh.

Premier Khan inquired about law and order in rural Sindh on which chief minister, who also holds the portfolio of home ministry, told him that by and large the law and order situation was satisfactory and all areas of the province were safe.

Acknowledging this, Imran Khan said the law and order situation has improved significantly. He recollected that he used to move in rural Sindh in convoys a decade ago owing to the bad law and order situation.

 

Hard time will be over soon, PM assures traders