- PM Shehbaz chairs high-level meeting on investment and trade.
- Promoting trade to boost export part of govt’s policy, says PM.
- Ministries given targets as premier stresses role of private sector.
LONDON: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed authorities to develop a comprehensive roadmap and a reform agenda with practical projects to promote investment and trade in all key sectors.
Chairing a high-level meeting on enhancing investment volume, economic and trade activities in Pakistan, the premier emphasised that agriculture, IT, minerals, tourism, and renewable energy were important sectors that could attract foreign investment.
Along with investment, he said, promoting trade was also part of the government’s policy to significantly increase exports of the country.
PM Shehbaz said that targets had been given to the ministries to utilise all available resources to ensure the timely completion of all ongoing projects.
He also instructed all ministers to identify feasible projects and take immediate steps to put them into practice.
For this purpose, he said a roadmap and a reform agenda should be devised with the future in mind, so that progress toward our goals can be made in an organised manner.
The prime minister emphasised that the private sector will play a pivotal role in the economic roadmap and its participation will be ensured.
“Our ongoing economic and financial reform policies have given a new direction to the economy, and due to the innovation and transparency, the country is now on the path of development,” he added.
The meeting, held via Zoom from London, was attended by Federal Minister for Environment Musadik Malik, Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervez Malik, Federal Minister for Finance Muhammad Jehanzeb, Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal, Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar, and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema.
The premier’s remarks come as he reached the UK after signing a historic mutual defence pact with Saudi Arabia.
The PM is now set to lead Pakistan’s delegation at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, set to commence on Monday (today).
During his time in the US, the PM, as per the Foreign Office, will participate in a meeting of select Islamic leaders with US President Trump to exchange views on issues pertaining to regional and international peace and security.
Meanwhile, at the UNGA, the premier will urge the international community to resolve the situations of prolonged occupation and denial of the right to self-determination to the people in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and Palestine.
Apart from holding bilateral meetings on the UNGA sidelines with several world leaders, he will also attend multiple high-level events, including important meetings of the UN Security Council, a high-level meeting of the Global Development Initiative (GDI), and a Special High-Level Event on Climate Action, among others.
