Preparing plan for infrastructure development: Senator Haseeb asks government to consult trade bodies

Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan has urged the government to initiate process of consultation with trade bodies to prepare plans for development of infrastructure in the country. Speaking at a meeting of Citizen Social Forum he said that the country was facing serious economic crisis, which could only be addressed through well-thought out policy devised in consultation with the business community.
He also devised the government to take practical measures to eradicate corruption from the country. The senator pointed out that God has gifted the country with huge natural and mineral resources, which needed to be fully exploited for economic benefits. He expressed the fear that people may initiate agitation as their problems were increasing with each passing day.
Chairman, Pakistan Apparel Forum, Javaid Bilwani said that industries were facing serious gas and power shortage, which might affect industrial production and exports adversely. He expressed serious concern over non-availability of gas in Faisalabad, which has forced closure of hosiery and value-added textile industry. He expressed concerns over flight of capital from the country and said that the industrialists have no hope of improvement in gas and power supply in near future.
Chairman Site Superhighway Association of Trade and Industry (SSATI) Mehtab Chawala said that Pakistan must take concrete steps to boost regional trade. Referring to the move of giving Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India, he said that India was a big market and added that Pakistan would be in better position by giving MFN status to India. He expressed concerns over flight of capital from the country, adding that in the prevailing conditions local investors are not prepared to invest in the country. Attracting foreign investors to invest in the country is only a dream, he added.