Country's economic indicators on positive trajectory: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said the economic indicators of the country are on positive trajectory despite many challenges including that of the Covid-19.

He was addressing a ceremony here on Thursday in connection with Roshan Digital Account crossing five hundred million dollars mark in remittances.

Imran Khan said the present government has made record repayments of twenty billion dollars in foreign loans over the last two and a half years.

He expressed his pleasure over the record increase in the country's exports at a time when the economies around the world were badly affected by the breakout of the pandemic. He said our exports have increased more than our competitors including India and Bangladesh.

He said the country's textile sector is witnessing a boom and new textile mills are being opened. He noted that the conscious efforts to improve exports as well as remittances including those in Roshan Digital Pakistan Account have helped stabilize the rupee.

The Prime Minister said that eighty eight thousand Roshan Digital Accounts have been opened in ninety seven countries. He pointed out that the overseas Pakistanis are our biggest asset and it has been his endeavor to tap this potential to take forward the country.

He directed the State Bank of Pakistan to open a special cell to fully facilitate the overseas Pakistanis in opening the Roshan Digital Account. He said the more we facilitate the expatriates, more amounts will come in the Roshan Digital Account.

He also stressed for a focussed and innovative media campaign for overseas Pakistanis to apprise them about this new initiative. He was confident that this will help increase the number of accounts.

The Prime Minister said the banking sector has an important role in Naya Pakistan Housing Program as well as the promotion of small and medium enterprises. He said these two sectors have the potential to accelerate the economic growth.

Speaking on the occasion, Governor State Bank of Pakistan Reza Baqir announced that Naya Pakistan Certificates will now also be available to expatriate Pakistanis in UK pound and Euro.

He said there are about seven to nine million overseas Pakistanis, expressing the confidence that more people will become part of the Roshan Digital Account.

He said under this initiative the overseas Pakistanis can open their accounts without going to the bank or the embassy. He said these accounts have been made repatriable as part of efforts to facilitate the overseas Pakistanis.