Government taking steps to boost exports by incentives: Dawood

LAHORE: Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood said on Friday that the government is vigorously following a prudent policy to boost export and minimise import for the economic stability by offering lucrative package of incentives to industrialists and businessmen.

He was talking to a delegation of United Business Group led by President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iftikhar Ali Malik. Razak Dawood said the government is working on short- and long-term policies simultaneously to boost economy besides accelerating the pace of industrialization throughout the country on top priority. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan always attached great importance to private sector and directed to address their problems being confronted by the business community.

Other members of the delegation included SM Muneer, Khalid Tawab, Zubair Tufail, Sohail Altaf, Zafar Bakhtawari, Malik Sohail Hussain, Waqar Ahmad Mian and Rehmat Ullah Javed.

The Advisor was of the opinion that due to business-friendly policies of the government, Pakistan has climbed 28 points on the World Bank's ease of doing business index that has given an encouraging signal to the investors from abroad. He said Japan, Vietnam and South Korea as well as the other Pacific and South East Asian markets would also be connected as the government would negotiate with these countries for promotion of trade.

Abdul Razak Dawood assured the delegation that all their viable proposals and legitimate demands will be given due weight in policy making process and necessary directions will be issued to concerned quarters for their redressal without loss of time. The Federal Secretary Commerce was also present on the occasion. About the completion of the state-of-the-art 10-storey building of SAARC Chamber head office in Islamabad, the Advisor said that necessary funds will be allocated shortly in this regard to meet their needs. Zubair Tufail assured the Advisor that the business community would provide its full support to the government towards implementing its reform agenda and overcoming the current economic challenges in the wake of global pandemic.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020