Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday laid stress on making a comprehensive export policy and vow to provide exporters, traders, industrialists and businessmen with the federal government’s support.
The port city of Karachi has always been a gateway and home to exporters, traders and entrepreneurs who serve as a backbone for the national economy, he said at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce (KCCI) Export Trophy Awards ceremony.
The prime minister said that Karachi always held the place of the main hub for revenues earning for the country and underlined that Pakistan required extensive efforts for boosting its exports by setting up industries and utilization of modern techniques to compete in the global market.
The export quality must be competitive in t
he global market, he added. He also appreciated the contribution of exporters and industrialists to the country’s economy and said that despite difficulties, they made relentless efforts to increase exports.
Sindh Governor Kamran Tissori, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, federal ministers, provincial ministers, parliamentarians, office bearers of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and relevant authorities were present during the ceremony.
The prime minister also observed that when compared with the neighbouring countries with regard to booming industries and exports, they still lagged behind in this race.
Enumerating various factors of the past, he said they required very serious deliberations to evaluate the factors including the successes, failures of the past governments and lack of modern techniques, and issues faced by the industrial sector etc.
“With mere blame game, they will not get anything concrete as it would only cause damage and result in wastage of time. There should be a frank discussion as to how the challenges faced by the industry can be mitigated by the government by facilitating them,” he added.
He said the country was blessed with natural resources and said this year, the country would produce a bumper crop as according to estimates, the cotton production could reach up to 10 million bales.
“Pakistan is blessed with natural resources and brilliant minds, but it cannot get a place among the comity of nations if they keep on promoting rental businesses,” he said and stressed upon an increase in production and setting up industries, that would take the country on the path of rapid progress.
He also hoped that the Interim government and the upcoming government would take these initiatives forward. The prime minister also emphasised upon resolution of the supply of water for Karachi and said that the federal and provincial governments were making efforts in this regard.