Pakistan is the next success story:Iqbal
Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal believes that Pakistan is the next success story.
Dunya News Report (Yaruq Malik)
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal has said that Pakistan’s business and investment profile has improved internationally with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He claimed that Pakistan’s economy has improved with the recent efforts made by the federal government and the law and order situation across the country has also shown promising results as compared to the past.
While talking to reporters at the Ministry’s office, Mr. Iqbal stated that under ‘Vision-2025’, we wish to restructure the business portfolio of Pakistan in multiple sectors and to create a roadmap that takes Pakistan into the top 25 economies of the world.
“Under Vision-2025, we are restructuring portfolio of our productive sectors on cluster-based approach to transform agriculture, industry and mineral sectors. The target is ambitious but achievable if the government, private sector and academia synergize their efforts to achieve eight percent growth rate annually in the next 10 years,” the minister said.
He insisted that the way the international community pictures Pakistan has changed immensely in 2016 from 2013. He said that 2016 will be year of productivity, quality and innovation in Pakistan.
“The world now recognizes Pakistan as the next emerging success story. We have also declared 2016 as the year of productivity, quality and innovation to become competitive on the international market. We are mobilizing the indigenous resources to develop an export thrust for the economy.” he stated.
Previously, the federal government was facing resistance from the provincial governments over the issue of the CPEC route which ended with a consensus that was created through the All Party Conference (APC) chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The APC was aimed at addressing the concerns put forward by the provincial governments of Khyber PakhtoonKhwa, Balochistan and Sindh. Surprisingly, the Sindh government officials were absent during the meeting. The Prime Minister ensured the political parties that the mutual interests of the provinces will not be ignored at any cost. Moreover, the PM insisted that the federal government is dedicated to take the provinces under confidence during every phase of the project.
Moreover, the Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal had complained that that the ‘aggressive remarks’ generated from the KP and Baluchistan leadership were risking foreign investment. The Multi Party Conference had declared a ‘13 point resolution’ that demanded the restoration of decisions made in last year’s MPC held in May which included the promise of creating the Western route of CPEC before the Eastern.
The Prime Minister constituted a steering committee which includes the PM, CM’s of the four provinces and Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal who will be the convener of the committee which will have sessions after every three months.
Furthermore, representatives from Baluchistan National Party Mengal (BNP-M), National Party, Jamhoori Watan Party, Jamaat-i-Islami and PakhtoonKhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) have collectively agreed upon the continuation of CPEC and called out for ‘unity’ among the provinces through progressive coordination with the federal government.
