F.P. Report
KARACHI: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, on Monday, stressed on all the sectors of economy to work in unison as ‘team Pakistan’ for achieving economic growth and export expansion.
The minister, in a media interaction during visit of Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works Ltd here, said that current economic situation of the country require every field of life and sector of economy to play a proactive role for ensuring sustainable economic growth and expansion of GDP.
Ahsan Iqbal said that all the democratic forces of Pakistan while putting their political ideologies, manifestos and interests as well as differences aside, joined hands just for the sake of security and solidarity of the country. “There is a national government in Pakistan and all the allied parties believe that national interests of Pakistan were more important than their political motives and it was the time to build up a consensus and demonstrate unity to steer the nation on path of sustainable development, prosperity and glory,” he stated.
Political stability is vital for economic development while uncertainty tarnish the efforts for growth, he opined and reiterated that country needed fast track growth in GDP, tax to GDP ratio, exports and industrial production and for achievement of the growth objectives it was imperative to improve governance, through consensus based political, economic and administrative reforms. Ahsan Iqbal said that a political party that promoted politics of hatred in the country and tried to create mayhem had lost public support after the sad incidents of May 9 when monuments of national heroes were desecrated, house of Quaid-e-Azam was attacked.
Pakistan is bestowed with immense workforce having unmatched skills, vast mineral resources and remarkable capabilities in IT and other sectors to achieve target of increasing its exports of commodities and services to $100 billion within a decade, he noted and urged the trade and industrial sector to attach topmost priority to expansion of exports and work with dedication to achieve the objective. The federal minister said that Karachi Shipyard and Engineering works Ltd is a significant entity of country’s engineering sector that is playing a remarkable role in ship building and maritime engineering.
The PML-N, while realizing the significance of naval force, started 2 important projects during its previous tenure and those projects has played pivotal role in strengthening of Pakistan’s Naval force. The project aimed at modernising of the shipyard through installation of heavy duty cranes and other state of the equipment, ship lifting and transfer facilities and other innovative measures has enhanced the capabilities of the shipyard, he said adding that now the shipyard was not only capable of meeting the country’s own requirements but it might offer boat and ship building and repair services to other countries of the region.
Managing Director Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works Ltd Rear Admiral Salman Ilyas and other senior officers of shipyard were also present at the occasion. Earlier, the federal minister inspected facilities, received briefing about the Karachi Shipyard, and also inaugurated crane system at the shipyard.
Ahsan for efforts to achieve economic growth
