F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday chaired a high-level review meeting on a five-year roadmap for economic progress of the country. The five-year roadmap focused on decrease in inflation, poverty alleviation, and provision of employment.
The prime minister said consultation should be held on this plan with all stakeholders of different sectors of the economy. Without wasting any time, implementation of projects for the economic stability and progress of the country should be ensured, he added. The prime minister said a schedule of implementation for the projects should be presented, adding steps should be taken on priority basis to speed up progress in the sectors of agriculture, livestock, information technology, foreign investment and small and medium industries.
He said the government would reduce its expenditure and he would not allow further waste of money of poor people. He said in the next five years, the country’s economy would be stabilized to put the country on the path of progress.
The PM said tax revenue would be increased with digitalization and technology, while the per acre yield in the agriculture sector would also be increased with the use of technology. The loss-making government institutions would be privatized on priority basis, he added. The meeting was informed in detail about the roadmap for economic progress and about proposed measures in important sectors including electricity, agriculture, livestock, exports, small and medium enterprises, taxes, information technology, small and medium enterprises, investment, and privatization.
Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Muhammad Jehanzeb, Ahad Khan Cheema, Dr Musadiq Malik, Minister of State Shiza Fatima Khawaja, Jehanzeb Khan and high-ranking officers attended the meeting.
Qatari envoy calls on PM: Ambassador of Qatar to Pakistan Ali Mubarak Ali Essa Al-Khater Thursday called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. The prime minister thanked the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, for their warm messages of felicitations on his re-election as Prime Minister.
He said Pakistan was proud of its close, fraternal relationship with Qatar, with bilateral ties having the potential to grow even stronger and meaningful, particularly in the areas of economy, trade and investment. He highlighted that the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) that was established during his previous tenure as Prime Minister, was now functioning as an efficient and productive mechanism to ensure that foreign investors were able to benefit from investment opportunities in Pakistan’s key sectors i.e. agriculture, I.T., mining and minerals as well as renewable energy.
The prime minister lauded Qatar’s contribution to peace efforts in Gaza. He said it was disappointing that violence was continuing in Gaza even during the holy month of Ramazan. He fondly recalled his official visits to Qatar in August 2022 and March 2023. He also extended an invitation to the Amir of Qatar to undertake an official visit to Pakistan and said the people of Pakistan looked forward to welcoming him in the near future. The ambassador thanked the prime minister and said he would do his best to foster stronger ties between the two countries.
PM takes notice on chairman IRSA appointment: Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice on the raising concerns of Sindh government on the matter of chairman Indus River System Authority’s (IRSA) appointment.
According to the details, Sindh irrigation minister Jam Khan Shoro informed about the telephonic call between chief minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah and Shehbaz Sharif in which Murad told him about the concerns regarding the appointment of chairman IRSA.
However, Shehbaz affirmed to Murad Ali Shah that he will take back the notification of the appointment of chairman IRSA. Jam Khan Shoro said that Murad told Shehbaz that it is decided in a meeting that the chairman’s appointment will be according to the provincial members.
