The Annual Plan Coordination Committee (APPC) on Friday endorsed the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) 4.8 percent growth forecast for the upcoming fiscal year (2021-22) developed by the Planning Commission.

Highlighting the achievements of the government during a press conference in Islamabad, Umar said in the nine months of the current fiscal year,  IT exports showed growth of 46%.

Umar said the country had "witnessed a strong growth" during the fiscal year, and it is expected that the remittances would shoot up from $21.7 to $29.1 till the year end — an increase of 34% in a year.

The federal minister said if we combine the 3.94% GDP growth and the increase in remittances, it will take the gross national product (GNP) growth to 6.5% — the "highest" GNP growth in the last 16 years.

He said last year and this year cotton fields were badly affected, however, the government has now bought good quality seeds, stressed on the use of pesticides, and the demand for cotton has increased in the international market since.