Pakistan is overcoming challenges, Emerging Pakistan is vision for development: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Thursday said that Pakistan was now overcoming the challenges and ‘emerging Pakistan’ was a vision for development and to build a positive image of the country.

“Unfortunately in the last 15 years we are experiencing great challenges of terrorism, economic challenges to regional issues but Alhamdulillah we are now overcoming these challenges and emerging Pakistan is our vision for development of our exports,” the prime minister said while speaking at Emerging Pakistan function, organized by Ministry of Commerce.

The prime minister said today Pakistan’s exports were on the rebound, which had achieved double digit growth, economy was growing at the rate of six percent, the country had the highest FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) over a decade while China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was providing much needed infrastructure to sustain and even exceed that.

He said the government was also investing in other sectors of infrastructure. He said shortages in power and gas sectors and lack of infrastructure were now things of the past.

“We are looking forward to an emerging Pakistan – a Pakistan that provides growth and our ambition is to provide connectivity to the region and more efficient access to the sea through Middle East, Western China and the region’, the prime minister said.

Prime Minister Abbasi said Pakistan was a land of great diversity, geographical and cultural and people of different languages.

He said it was indeed a great honour for Pakistan that provided quality products to the world of sports and made in Pakistan footballs were being used by FIFA in the Football World Cups since 1982.

Pointing towards the documentary that Pakistan produced 40 million footballs last year, the prime minister said it was again a matter of great honour for the country. The prime minister congratulated Forward Sports and other sports industries of Sialkot for their achievements not only in footballs but also in other sports.

Showering his praise on the people and industrialists of Sialkot for shining the Pakistan’s name in the world, the prime minister said the sports city was leading in every thing and it achieved much beyond its sports goods, adding that the city had a world class airport, constructed by the local industrialists that showed entrepreneurship of people of Sialkot .

The prime minister hoped that the industrialists community of Sialkot would also come forward to sponsor football sports in Pakistan and to develop it at a par with cricket in the country.

The prime minister said Forward Sports had achieved the privilege when the world had recognized Pakistani football that was used in the world cup. He said he would recommend to the President to confer Sitar-e-Imtiaz upon Khawaja Masood, CEO, Forward Sports for his achievements.

The prime minister said that for the first time in Pakistan there had been massive income tax reforms and expressed the hope it would allow the automobile industry in the country and other investors to come forward to produce more besides creating more jobs and pay tax on much lower rates.

The prime minister also gave away medals and certificates to Hasnain Iftikhar Cheema, Chairman Sports Goods Association, Rana Naseer Ahmed, a representative of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industries and CEO, Forward Sport Khawaja Masood.

Earlier, Minister for Commerce Muhammad Pervez Malik said indeed it was a matter of great pleasure and honour for Pakistan to deliver footballs for the upcoming FIFA world cup- 2018.

He congratulated sports industry in maintaining its top position and competing with world sports industry. He said Sialkot had made Pakistan proud by becoming a manufacturing hub for all sports goods. He hoped they would contribute to provide class products to the world to their innovative idea and commitment.

He said Emerging Pakistan was gathering ownership, especially among the private sector and strengthening narrative of Pakistan’s sports industry. He said world class products were being produced in Pakistan’s sports industry.