'President assures government's support to expedite economic growth'

Senior Vice President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iftikhar Ali Malik on Wednesday said that President Dr Arif Alvi has assured that the government is fully committed to expediting the economic growth and export-oriented prudent policies by utilizing maximum available resources.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday, the President gave this assurance during a meeting with a 25-member traders' delegation saying that the PTI attached great importance to business community across the board. The government is pursuing policies to promote wealth creation in the country besides facilitating businesses for increasing exports and reducing trade deficit.
He also quoted President as saying that the government has initiated fundamental reforms to restructure the economy and strengthen domestic industry and special attention was being given to facilitate Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) while more facilities would be provided to the exporters.
Daroo Khan Achakzai said the business community fully reposed confidence in the incumbent government and the recent visit of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman was a big success for Pakistan as message had been conveyed to the world that Pakistan is safe haven for foreign investment.
Malik said the delegation assured the president business community's support in case of Indian aggression against Pakistan and said they are united and committed to defending their country.
However, he condemned India for its war rhetoric and termed it devastation for the prosperity of region. Ishtiaq Baig said the government and business community should come forward for the country's betterment as the cost of doing business and trade was a serious concern of business community. "Efforts should also be made to promote exports, encourage further foreign investment other than Saudi Arab and China and stimulate economic activity in the country," he added.
He opined that high tariff and taxes were affecting the country's balance of trade for which drastic and corrective measures were need to do away with economic challenges.
Malik Sohail Hussain said efforts would be made in order to resolve all issues of business community relating to tax, regulatory duty, customs, smuggling refund and rebate, starting business and high cost of doing business. He termed the payment of long outstanding refunds as positive which would definitely help to accelerate industrial pace in the country.
FPCCI former chief Zubair Tufail said the government should devise a comprehensive strategy to counter the issues in order to accelerate the industrial pace, he maintained. "Pakistani exports were under pressure due to prevailing economic financial and industrial crisis in the country," he continued.