Muhammad Fazlur Rahman
Prime Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, has focused his attention during the past month on addressing economic issues, improving domestic and foreign affairs, and providing facilities to the public. His activities over the past month demonstrate a clear commitment to enhancing the country’s economic situation. The new federal government has prioritized initiating reforms on an urgent basis, focusing on immediate improvement measures. Instead of mere verbal claims or loud announcements, written directives are being issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, emphasizing the implementation of these directives by each ministry through the submission of written performance reports.
During the past month, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif held meetings with diplomats and other high-ranking officials from China, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United States. These meetings aimed to strengthen economic ties, enhance defense and security cooperation, and promote peace among the nations. Discussions with the Chinese Ambassador included talks on projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and other investment opportunities. The Prime Minister accepted an invitation for a visit to China extended by the Chinese Ambassador.
In a meeting with the American Ambassador, special attention was given to the case of Dr. Afia Siddiqui. During the meeting with the Saudi Defense Minister, the Prime Minister appreciated Saudi Arabia’s special cooperation in improving economic difficulties during the past sixteen months of the government. The meeting with the Qatari Ambassador focused on creating employment opportunities for skilled Pakistanis and strengthening relations with countries hosting Pakistani expatriates. Talks with the Turkish Ambassador also discussed achieving an annual target of $5 billion in bilateral trade.
In the very first cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister made it clear that during the past sixteen months of governance, the country was saved from bankruptcy, and the current goal is to steer Pakistan away from the burden of loans from international financial institutions like the IMF and others. He emphasized that ninety percent of the resources of the country are in the grip of a handful of elites, a grip that needs to be loosened. In the past month, government priorities included resolving the issue of circular debt in the power sector amounting to five trillion rupees, curbing electricity theft worth four to five hundred billion rupees, accountability of loss-making institutions, shifting from loans to investments from friendly countries, reducing government expenditures, improving agriculture live stock, advancing in information technology, reforming the tax system, and increasing productivity.
Concern was also expressed in courts regarding matters pending under the FBR involving two trillion seven hundred billion rupees. The federal government, particularly the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, was assured that their issues would be addressed on the same priority basis as issues of other provinces with coalition provincial governments. Pakistan ranks as the second-largest country in freelancing globally, and the federal government has set a target to increase IT exports from three billion dollars to five billion dollars.
Due to climatic hazards, Pakistan ranks fifth among countries worldwide. In the past twenty years, Pakistan has suffered the loss of ten thousand valuable lives due to climatic changes, estimating losses in infrastructure and other damages in billions of rupees. Practical measures are being taken to cope with this situation, with a target set to plant more than five crore trees across the country within a year.
In the Apex Committee meeting of the Special Investment Council, former Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar and his cabinet’s services were appreciated, and a commitment was made to work as a team to strengthen the country’s economy by keeping political differences aside.
The Significance and Benefits of the Rekodik Project
In a meeting with Birak Gold Company, discussions were held regarding the importance and benefits of the Rekodik project, highlighting Prime Minister’s directives to resolve all issues related to the project. Talks were conducted on connecting Rekodik to Gwadar via road, including the railway line project to utilize minerals in Balochistan, particularly benefiting the district of Chagai. The Prime Minister instructed to complete the feasibility of the project by the end of the current year.
For the fiscal year, a tax collection target of nine trillion rupees has been set. The Prime Minister announced to confer national hero status to major taxpayers, grant honorary ambassadorship, issue blue passports, and privilege cards. Restrictions were imposed on the use of red carpets in government events.
Information Minister Ataullah Tarar mentioned that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has set written targets for the performance evaluation of ministries for the first time. Due to the government’s positive policies, the value of the rupee has stabilized, promising more good news for the public in the coming days. The tax net will be expanded, and additional taxes will not burden the lower-income class.
The Prime Minister emphasized on the Cabinet members to work tirelessly for the economic betterment of the country for the next five years. Goals have been set to reduce the burden of foreign loans, increase GDP, create job opportunities, promote agriculture and IT sectors, introduce reforms in the energy sector, and eradicate smuggling.
For the first time in history, each ministry has been given short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals in writing, with instructions to establish a system on modern principles for their supervision. Seventy pages of directives have been issued to all ministries by the Prime Minister, covering various sectors such as economy, trade, IT revenue, and industrial promotion.
The Finance Ministry has been tasked to increase GDP, loans, add billions of dollars to revenues from Gulf countries by December 2027, set goals for trade agreements with friendly countries, and facilitate business ease. The Education Ministry has clear targets for enrolling out-of-school children and increasing the enrollment of PHD students by 20 percent.
Efforts are being made to open offices of social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram in Pakistan to eradicate unemployment and create job opportunities. Targets have been set for the Interior Ministry to address issues related to illegal foreign nationals residing in Pakistan. To control fuel theft, the government is formulating a policy to introduce electric bikes. A policy is also being formulated to promote art films, provide financial assistance to good filmmakers, sponsor film festivals in Karachi, and improve TV programs. Measures are also being taken for the welfare of journalists.
The enthusiasm of Prime Minister Pakistan and his team in the past month gives hope that the country has indeed taken a step towards improvement, which will directly benefit the Pakistani people.
