PM directs economic team to focus on those projects which yield high productivity

• Imran Khan says industrial development is vital for economic growth and jobs creation.
• Imran Khan says confidence of the business community for increased investment in all the sectors must be raised.
• The prime minister directs to include all the poor strata of society under the Ehsaas programme.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said industrial development was vital for economic growth and jobs creation, and stressed for focusing on those projects that yield high productivity while removing the hindrances in their way.

Without giving protection to the business community, he said economy could not flourish. The confidence of the business community for increased investment in all the sectors must be raised, he said while chairing a meeting of his economic team.

The prime minister directed to include all the poor strata of society under the Ehsaas programme, including the chronically poor, extremely poor and marginalized poor segments.

He was also briefed about inclusion of women for balanced economic development of the country. It was emphasized that women should be given incentives and facilitation for their contribution in the socio-economic development.

The meeting was briefed on the outcomes of the steps being taken by the present government for sustainable growth and economic consolidation, increased productivity, ease of doing business while removing hindrances in the way of investment as well as protection to the existing and prospective investors.

Other important issues discussed during the meeting included poverty alleviation, infrastructure and communication development, revitalizing and mobilizing the dead investment, disaster management and improved coordination among the ministries and divisions concerned for smooth and timely implementation of the projects.

The meeting was also briefed on the investment in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the construction sector.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information & Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan while citing the Malaysian Model of growth, said the empowerment of women and facilitation would contribute significantly towards socio-economic growth of Pakistan.

The meeting of the economic team comprising of Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar, Minister for Planning Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Minister for Power Omar Ayub Khan, Adviser to the PM on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Adviser to PM of Trade and Investment Abdul Razzak Dawood, Adviser to PM Dr Ishrat Hussain, special assistants Dr Sania Nishtar, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Nadeem Babar and Yousaf Baig Mirza, and Board of Investment Chairman  Syed Zubair Haider Gillani.  Shaukat Tareen, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal and other senior government officials were also present during the meeting.

The NDMA chairman briefed the meeting on the proposals regarding communication and infrastructure development, and mobilization of dead investment for reaping investment benefits in the short term. He also proposed the creation of Disaster Risk Financing in the wake of frequent natural disasters and shortage of funds earmarked currently to respond in case of any eventuality.

The meeting was also briefed on the proposed lease plan of Pakistan Steel Mills and the interest shown by the Russian and Chinese companies. The prime minister directed the concerned to come up with a comprehensive plan regarding the proposed lease of Pakistan Steel Mills in a separate meeting at the earliest.