ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday held consultations with industrialists and businessmen before his visit to China.
The prime minister during the meeting said on Wednesday that the government is pursuing a long-term policy to promote industries and to increase exports and it was important to consult with the business community before visiting China.
The government will discuss enhancing ties between Pakistani and Chinese industrialists and setting up joint ventures, he added.
The premier also expressed gratitude to the industrialists and businessmen for increasing the salaries of the employees on his request as the government is aware of inflation in the world market and the consequent burden on the people and steps are being taken to protect the common man from the effects of inflation.
The government and prominent industrialists have agreed to increase the minimum monthly wage on Wednesday.
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The premier said that the industrialists and businessmen should work with the government to provide relief to the common man.
He further stated that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had included IT and textile export policy in its party’s manifesto even before it came to power, the fruits of which are now clearly visible.
The country’s 10 largest companies made a profit of Rs929 billion last year due to business-friendly policies of the government.
He said that exports of the textile sector reached a record level and are expected to increase significantly during the ongoing fiscal year and the government focus is now on IT and textiles as well as defense manufacturing and engineering.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Chief of Army Staff said that there are vast opportunities in the defense manufacturing sector that can be exploited through public-private partnerships. He said that for the development of the country will fully support the implementation of government policies.
The prime minister said that the government is focusing on promoting small and medium enterprises which will improve the economic conditions of the middle and poor class. There are ample opportunities in IT, agriculture, livestock, machinery and textile sectors to increase exports, he added
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The industrialists said that they fully supported the government’s business-friendly policies and passed on the benefits of increasing profits to the lower classes. They made suggestions for increasing exports, promoting small and medium enterprises, improving the tax system and visiting China.
Leading industrialists Saqib Shirazi (Honda Atlas), Ali Asghar Jamali (Indus Motors), Ghiasuddin Khan (Engro), Sikandar Mustafa (Millat Tractor), Hamid Zaman (Sefam) Shahid Abdullah (Sapphire), Khurram Mukhtar (Pakistan Textile Exporters) Association), Zahid Bashir (Gul Ahmed), Azam Farooq (Charat Cement), Khalil Sattar (K&N), Abdul Rahim and Gohar Ijaz (APTMA).
Also present were federal ministers, Shaukat Tarin, Asad Umar, Hamad Azhar, Khusro Bakhtyar, Fawad Chaudhry, Trade Adviser Abdul Razzak Dawood, Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Minister of State Farrukh Habib, Special Assistant Dr Shahbaz Gul, and senior officers.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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