DAVOS (APP): Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Wednesday expressed confidence that a stable government would be formed after forthcoming general elections, scheduled for February 8, eventually leading to sustainable economic stability in the country.
“I do see and project that there will be great growth in Pakistan. There will be a sense of stability. The growth will be slow but it will be sustainable,” the prime minister said in an interview with CNBC on the sidelines of the 54th annual meeting of World Economic Forum (WEF). He said that the speculations regarding holding the elections, had been addressed and everyone was certain about the election date of 8th of February.
PM Kakar said it was the top priority of the caretaker setup to bring economic revival and to focus on growth and other economic indicators. He said the next government had to follow a clear principle of spending less and earning more to achieve economic stability. “We need to bring back the non-documented economy into the documented economy and transform our state to a more viable economic entity,” he added.
He highlighted that the caretaker government would publish a white paper on its 4-5 months performance. “We did introduce and revamp the programme within taxation system, we brought structural changes that would be passed through the Cabinet formerly by the end of the month, after that it would be in place as policy.” Further, he said the caretaker government opted for aggressive privatization, it cut its expenditures at the federal level and it was also carrying out talks with the provinces so they could rationalize their expenditures.
As regards delay in elections, the prime minister said the country faced legal and technical challenges related to the electoral procedures and processes. However, he said those challenges had been addressed now and the people of Pakistan would be given the opportunity to exercise their constitutional right of electing the leadership for the next five years. To a question about former PTI Chairman, PM Kakar said he was not in prison on account of his political opinion but due to his purported role for inciting riots and encouraging his followers towards disruption.
He said the people who had been involved in the riots were behind bars. “It is not that the innocent people have been picked up for their political opinions and they have been denied a political role.” The prime minister pointed out that the former PTI Chairman had the right to say that he was jailed because of his political opinion but let the court decide the issue. He said the matter would not be decided by any individual, media or any other group but the courts would address these points.
To a question about free and fair elections, PM Kakar said prior to holding elections, no one could question the fairness of the process. “Let the election happen as there will be international observers, the international media and other watchdogs to report whether the elections were held in the free and fair manner or not.” As regards the media freedom in Pakistan, the prime minister said even the Western media was under more strict regulations than that of Pakistan.
With regard to the regional issues, he said Pakistan did foresee that there would be implications for the country after the withdrawal of the US and NATO forces from Afghanistan and that was why Pakistan had been advocating for a responsible withdrawal. The focus of world powers was no more Afghanistan as now it was an abandoned project for them. “But for us it had a real-time tangible implications particularly when the gadgets which were given to the Afghan Republic Army were sold in the black market. He feared that it might also have implications in the Middle East.
The prime minister said Pakistan needed to enhance its capacity of counter-terrorism. “We also need to encourage that Pakistan can become a viable economic entity and a viable democracy at the same time.” He said Pakistan’s role should also be acknowledged and appreciated. To a question about Pakistan’s relations with China, the prime minister said the two countries had very close relations, both strategically and historically. He said the bilateral relations with China would not be affected, no matter what happens in the region.
Kakar for equitable opportunities to all to benefit from modern technology: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar called for ensuring equitable opportunities for all nations and regions to grab the fruits of modern technology.
Speaking at a forum titled “Trade Tech’s Trillion-Dollar Promise” on the sideline of the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), he said utilizing state-of-the-art technology was vital to achieve targets of fast development Stressing the need to ensure equitable opportunities for all to secure the technology, he said it was key to ensure sustainable global development. Keeping in view the development of technology, PM Kakar said that the digital economy would attain more importance in the days ahead. He said every region of the world should benefit from the development being carried out in the technology sector.
As regards the issues of trade and business, he said the private sector should be encouraged to boost investment. Additionaly, the private sector should take a lead to help the government in resolving the challenges of trade and business.
“The government does think in a different way and manner when it approaches towards challenges of trade and business, while the private entities and the business people have different opinions,” he said adding the private entities should become the opinion-maker and influencing and contributing more towards it.
Pakistan needs to be more competitive, attractive to benefit from industrialisation: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said that Pakistan needed to be more competitive and attractive to facilitate the process of industrialisation in the region.
The prime minister, addressing an event titled “20th Pakistan Breakfast at Davos 2024” held by Pathfinders Group on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, said a trading activity of around $ 336 trillion trade was happening in China, and GCC countries were also entering into the manufacturing industry. He said China had acquired the transformation stage to relocate some of its industry and Pakistan might be one of those destinations.
Similarly, the GCC countries were rich with capital but had geographical disadvantages with the options of either importing the manpower or taking their capital to countries with a conducive environment and inexpensive energy and labour. He told the gathering of intellectuals, writers and representatives of welfare organisations, that Pakistan was a unique place owing to its diversified culture, geography and topography with the eight highest peaks, deserts of Thar and Balochistan and the plains of Punjab.
“I am quite sanguine that people are feeling a deep sense of positivity,” he said and mentioned the structural changes and revamping of the taxation system. He said “spend less on government and earn more” were the two lessons or takeaways of the incumbent government which was also facilitating the private sector to earn money and pay taxes. Referring to the ideal geographical position of the country, he said the whole of Central Asia was looking to have connectivity through Pakistan which had the highest population in the ECO region. The prime minister also gave a historical background of Pakistan’s identity rooted in centuries-old civilizations, diversified culture and languages and said that it was not a story of any specific religion but a way broader than that with its own ambiance, colors, and cuisines.
CEO Coca-Cola Company calls on PM: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Coca-Cola Company, James Quincey called on Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF).
During the meeting, the prime minister highlighted the steps taken by the government of Pakistan to facilitate the businesses and investment in the country, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release. He also mentioned the establishment of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and the business-friendly measures taken under it to facilitate the investors.
PM, Belgian counterpart express satisfaction over growing trade, economic ties: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo, while noting the completion of 75 years of establishment of diplomatic ties between Pakistan and Belgium, expressed great satisfaction at the growing trade and economic relations between the two countries.
The two leaders met on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF), PM Office Media Wing said in a press release. They reaffirmed their commitment to enhance high-level exchanges and bilateral cooperation in all areas of mutual interest, including, trade and investment, migration and mobility and higher education. Important regional and global developments were also discussed.
