President Mamnoon Hussain Saturday underlined the need for right policies and their continuity to ensure better economic growth in the country.

He said the country was moving towards general elections and it was vital for the business community and the people in general to support those, who were delivering to the country and nation.

The President was addressing the business community at 10th Export Trophy Awards of Rice Exporters Association Pakistan (REAP), here in Karachi.

He said our region was confronted to extremism and terrorism that damaged the economy of the country. However, through wisdom and statesmanship the government has succeeded to handle these challenges. Now, peace has restored in the country and the economy was on the right track.

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would be operational in near future and the whole nation would get best benefits of this project.

He praised the role of REAP in the progress and development of the country and hoped it would continue its efforts more efficiently in future.

He expressed his satisfaction that REAP has proved itself as a strong bridge among the rice growers, rice millers and the exporters of the country.

The basic role of all the professional representative associations was to struggle for establishing strong rapport and working relationship among all the stakeholders of the respective sector/industry and get better facilities for them to the ultimate benefit of the country.

He mentioned that the government has taken various steps for resolving the issues of rice exporters besides providing them soft term loans. Positive results were achieved from these measures, which were also acknowledged at international level.

He said REAP leadership has urged for inclusion of rice in free trade agreements and preferential trade agreements signed or to be signed with different countries, starting of banking channel for successful implementation of these agreements and reduction of duties on the import of the machinery related to this sector.

The President said that the demands of REAP would be forwarded to the Ministries of Commerce and Finance and concerned department to facilitate for the business community.

He endorsed the REAP demand for representation of rice exporters in the trade delegations going abroad.

Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair, Chairman PEAP Chaudhry Sameeullah and Vice Chairman Rafique Sulaiman also spoke on the occassion.