Pakistan never paid attention to exports, laments PM Imran Khan

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday lamented that Pakistan never paid attention to exports, adding that it was very difficult to increase a country's wealth without them.

The premier was speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Rashkai Special Economic Zone being developed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

"If you aren't increasing your exports, then the country's wealth will never increase," he lamented, adding that selling wheat and other products will not make Pakistan wealthy alone.

He said Pakistan should learn from the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) set up by China. He labelled the Rashkai Special Economic Zone a "big opportunity", stressing on authorities to create ease of doing business for investors.

"The more hurdles you remove for investors, the more investors will arrive here [in Pakistan]," he said, adding that Pakistan had not been an "investor-friendly country".

He said investors were always attracted by prospects of making profits and that was not possible without governments taking steps to ensure ease of doing business.

PM Khan said his government was focusing its efforts on removing hurdles from investors' paths, adding that Pakistan has the potential to become an "attractive destination" for businessmen.

The prime minister regretted how Pakistani investors were setting up businesses in Bangladesh, Malaysia and other countries. He said this phenomena was due to the fact that in Pakistan, the government does not remove hurdles for investors.

"We send them [investors] to this office or that office," he said, lamenting how investors were not treated like VIPs. "The biggest VIP here should be the one who creates employment opportunities for others," he added, as the audience erupted into applause.

The prime minister recalled the difficult time for his government when the PTI was elected to power a little over two years ago. He said Pakistan was on the brink of default, adding that the starting 1.5-year period of his prime ministership was the most challenging part of his life.

The premier said when Pakistan was pulling itself out of the economic crisis, the coronavirus shuttered businesses around the world and had an adverse impact on various countries' economies.

"We should raise our hands and profusely thank Allah," he said, adding that Pakistan had not suffered the same fate as other countries had, where millions were unemployed and thousands had died.

He praised the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) adding that the think tank was closely following the coronavirus situation in the country.

He praised his government's decision not to impose a coronavirus lockdown, adding that the poor would have "died from hunger" and Pakistan "would have suffered a fate similar to India".

He hit out at the Opposition, adding that they were "shocked" to see the country's economy improving all of a sudden.

"Let me remind them [Opposition] that I was the captain who introduced neutral umpires in cricket," the prime minister said, adding that he would not give up easily in reforming the country.

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Senior US diplomat lauds Islamabad's 'sincere efforts for bringing peace and stability in the region'

Senior US diplomat in Pakistan Angela Aggeler on Friday lauded Islamabad for its "sincere efforts for bringing peace and stability in the region, especially the Afghan peace process".

US Chargé d’affaires Aggeler had called on Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi today.

"During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, overall regional security situation including recent developments in Afghan peace process and bilateral cooperation in various fields were discussed" said a statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

This is the US diplomat's second meeting with Gen Bajwa in a month.

Earlier this month, she had called on Gen Bajwa to discuss several matters of mutual interest between Pakistan and the United States.

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4.8% GDP growth expected next fiscal year: Asad

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said Friday Pakistan's gross domestic product (GDP) growth was expected to hit 4.8% in the financial year 2021-2022.

Highlighting the achievements of the government during a press conference in Islamabad, Umar said in the nine months of the current fiscal year, IT exports showed growth of 46%.

Umar said the country had "witnessed a strong growth" during the fiscal year, and it is expected that the remittances would shoot up from $21.7 billion to $29.1 billion till the year end — an increase of 34% in a year.

The federal minister said if we combine the 3.94% GDP growth and the increase in remittances, it will take the gross national product (GNP) growth to 6.5% — the "highest" GNP growth in the last 16 years.

Umar said remittances played an important role in helping the country's economy grow, and it is important that we should give overseas Pakistanis the right to vote.

Shedding light on why the government is expecting a 4.8% GDP growth in FY22, he said that the government has invested in the agricultural sector which will greatly benefit the economy.

He said last year and this year cotton fields were badly affected, however, the government has now bought good quality seeds, stressed on the use of pesticides, and the demand for cotton has increased in the international market since.

"And so, after consultations with all the provinces, we have concluded that Pakistan can produce 10.5 million bales — 4 million from Sindh, 6 million from Punjab, and the rest from other provinces."

Umar said that the livestock industry had also been adversely impacted by coronavirus, but in the next fiscal year, it will move towards normalisation, and growth in this sector, too, will be visible.

The federal minister said electricity consumption was expected to grow by 6%, and after the government had announced a package for the industries, their power consumption had gone up 15% during the current fiscal — and in the next year, it is predicted to rise further.

Growth is also expected in gas, coal, construction, and among several other sectors. "Exports are predicted to go up. This year it stood at $25.2 billion, and in the next year, it will move up to $26.8 billion."

The federal minister said this year's $25.2 billion worth of exports were the country's highest figures in the last 10 years. "It is unfortunate that the backbone of the economy, exports faced several setbacks during the previous year."

Umar said next year's target for exports, $26.8 billion, would be the highest in the country's history.

The remittances might not grow like this year, but they are expected to move up from $29.1 billion to $31.3 billion — an expected increase of $2 billion.

Umar said the government was aiming at taking up the exports and expanding the IT sector, he said, adding: "The IT exports increased by 46%.

The Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) stood at Rs650 billion this year, and the government has increased it to Rs900 billion for the next fiscal year — a "huge" increase of Rs250 billion.

The federal minister said growth during the current fiscal year indicates that in the next fiscal year, the growth will be more than expected.

Giving an overview of the development spending for the next fiscal year, Umar said these envisage road infrastructure projects including Hyderabad-Sukkur motorway.

Giving an overview of the development spending for the next fiscal year, Umar said these envisage road infrastructure projects including the Hyderabad-Sukkur motorway.

The packages announced for Karachi, and select districts of Sindh and Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan will be financed from the PSDP, the federal minister said.

Similarly, funds will be provided from the development plan for the construction of dams. Rs28 billion will be allocated for health, Rs37 billion for the Higher Education Commission, and Rs5 billion have also been set aside for the skills education programme.

The planning minister said the current account deficit for the next fiscal year has been estimated at 0.07%.

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Trade with Afghanistan through Torkham remained suspended on the third consecutive day

Trade with Afghanistan through Torkham remained suspended on the third consecutive day on Thursday as Khugakhel tribesmen continued their protest and blockade of the main road leading to the border crossing.

Afghan nationals aspiring to return to their country were, however, provided with an alternative route via Charbagh area to reach Torkham as part of a good-well gesture by the protesters as the travellers also included women, children and elderly people.

Mufti Ejaz and Mirajuddin Khan, the elders of Khugakhel, told journalists at the protest site that their protest would continue till signing of a mutually agreed accord regarding fulfilment of their four major demands with concrete guarantees from the regional security officials.

The Khugakhel tribesmen, being the collective owners of the land leased out for the construction of modern customs terminal at Torkham, had long been pushing for payment of the price of the additional land the National Logistic Cell (NLC) had off late acquired for the terminal, share in the monthly profit from the terminal and adequate share in jobs for the youth of the tribe.

Both Mufti Ejaz and Mirajuddin said that Federal Board of Revenue, with whom they had earlier signed an agreement regarding lease of their land in 2016, and NLC had committed to sign a new agreement regarding acceptance of their demands in February but later they backtracked on their promise and they were compelled to resort to protest.

Meanwhile, scores of representatives of various political parties and local tribal and religious leaders visited the site of the protest near Landi Kotal bazaar and extended support to the protesting Khugakhel tribesmen and called upon the officials concerned to help resolve the issue.

No negotiations between the Khugakhel elders and government officials were held on Thursday while the day also remained peaceful as police avoided taking any action against the protesters.

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PM Imran to directly interact with public via telephone on May 30

Prime Minister Imran Khan will interact with the general public via telephone for the fourth time on May 30.

Taking to Twitter, Senator Faisal Javed said that the prime minister will directly interact with the public for the fourth time at 3:00 pm on May 30 in a series of direct discussions via telephone under the banner of ‘Aap ka Wazir-e-Azam Aap kai Sath’ [Your Prime Minister is With You].
He said that the interaction would be broadcasted on television, radio and digital platforms as people could reach out to the prime minister via telephone number 051-9224900.

In the previous interaction, the prime minister besides directing to resolve issues raised by the general public said that the COVID cases in the country are witnessing a stabilizing effect and urged the public to adopt COVID SOPs during Eid in order to avoid an India-like situation.

“The more we adopt precautionary measures, the sooner we will be able to come out of this situation,” Imran Khan said adding that during his visit to PIMs, doctors conveyed that the COVID cases have stabilized and are not following an upward trajectory now.

Responding to a query of a caller, the Prime Minister categorically stated that Pakistan will not hold talks with India until it rescinds the illegal steps of 5th August 2019.

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Trade with Afghanistan through Torkham remained suspended on the third consecutive day

Trade with Afghanistan through Torkham remained suspended on the third consecutive day on Thursday as Khugakhel tribesmen continued their protest and blockade of the main road leading to the border crossing.

Afghan nationals aspiring to return to their country were, however, provided with an alternative route via Charbagh area to reach Torkham as part of a good-well gesture by the protesters as the travellers also included women, children and elderly people.

Mufti Ejaz and Mirajuddin Khan, the elders of Khugakhel, told journalists at the protest site that their protest would continue till signing of a mutually agreed accord regarding fulfilment of their four major demands with concrete guarantees from the regional security officials.

The Khugakhel tribesmen, being the collective owners of the land leased out for the construction of modern customs terminal at Torkham, had long been pushing for payment of the price of the additional land the National Logistic Cell (NLC) had off late acquired for the terminal, share in the monthly profit from the terminal and adequate share in jobs for the youth of the tribe.

Both Mufti Ejaz and Mirajuddin said that Federal Board of Revenue, with whom they had earlier signed an agreement regarding lease of their land in 2016, and NLC had committed to sign a new agreement regarding acceptance of their demands in February but later they backtracked on their promise and they were compelled to resort to protest.

Meanwhile, scores of representatives of various political parties and local tribal and religious leaders visited the site of the protest near Landi Kotal bazaar and extended support to the protesting Khugakhel tribesmen and called upon the officials concerned to help resolve the issue.

No negotiations between the Khugakhel elders and government officials were held on Thursday while the day also remained peaceful as police avoided taking any action against the protesters.

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PM Imran to directly interact with public via telephone on May 30

Prime Minister Imran Khan will interact with the general public via telephone for the fourth time on May 30.

Taking to Twitter, Senator Faisal Javed said that the prime minister will directly interact with the public for the fourth time at 3:00 pm on May 30 in a series of direct discussions via telephone under the banner of ‘Aap ka Wazir-e-Azam Aap kai Sath’ [Your Prime Minister is With You].
He said that the interaction would be broadcasted on television, radio and digital platforms as people could reach out to the prime minister via telephone number 051-9224900.

In the previous interaction, the prime minister besides directing to resolve issues raised by the general public said that the COVID cases in the country are witnessing a stabilizing effect and urged the public to adopt COVID SOPs during Eid in order to avoid an India-like situation.

“The more we adopt precautionary measures, the sooner we will be able to come out of this situation,” Imran Khan said adding that during his visit to PIMs, doctors conveyed that the COVID cases have stabilized and are not following an upward trajectory now.

Responding to a query of a caller, the Prime Minister categorically stated that Pakistan will not hold talks with India until it rescinds the illegal steps of 5th August 2019.

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