Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal has said on Monday that an "Economic Long March" will be launched on August 11 on completion of the two years of the Vision 2025. Speaking at a press conference here on Monday, he said that the Vision 2025 was announced two years ago after complete consultation with all the stakeholders and all the federating units were also taken on board on the vision to make the country a model economy.
"Today, all the leading financial institutions are considering Pakistan as an emerging economy. This is all because of the PML-N government's economic policies," he said adding that the government would not only present scorecard of achievements of last two years but would also explain the targets for next 10 years. He lambasted the political opponents and in particular the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for what he termed their negative politics. He urged the PTI to improve their performance in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KP) otherwise they would be wiped out in the next general elections.
"Opposition parties especially the PTI and its allies kept on making statements and organising long marches against the government during last three year whereas the country needs a decade of continuity in policies for sustainable economic development," he said.
Ahsan Iqbal confidently said that after 2018, the next government would continue to implement 10-year road-map that was introduced by present government to make Pakistan 25th biggest economy of the world by 2025.
He said that the country could not achieve economic prosperity unless it increased productivity, quality and innovation. About protest rallies announced by the opposition parties, he said, these attempts would miserably fail as people were interested in development and prosperity of the country. "Our opponents ought to respect the people's verdict because they have supported policies of the PML-N government during elections of local councils and elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir as well," he appealed.
The minister said that entire nation was focused on vision of progress and development being carried out under the dynamic leadership of Nawaz Sharif. He said that the BISP should develop a program to cover all widows, orphans and special people to make Pakistan a welfare state. He added that present government had increased the budget allocation for the BISP from Rs 40 billions in 2012-2013 to Rs 140 billion to eradicate the menace of poverty.
"Government wants to create a better Pakistan where every citizen will have equal opportunities of growth but achieving this target needs political stability. Unfortunately, in past 69 years Pakistan never achieved political stability," he said.
Ahsan Iqbal said the confidence of foreign investor had increased due to policies of present government and its 3-year performance. He cited that the Transparency International also expressed confidence in the policies of the government.
He said, out of $46 billion projects under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), projects worth US $10 billion had hit the ground while remaining schemes were in the pipeline and majority of these projects would be completed within next few years.
Giving details of power production in next few years, he said, 3600 MW electricity to be produced through LNG and would be available by June next year. He said the Jamshoro power project being completed by Asian Development Bank would start producing 1320 MW by year 2018.
He said, 1320 MW Port Qasim Power Project was being completed under the CPEC and 1320 MW Sahiwal Power Project would start producing electricity next year. Work was under progress on 2000 MW Thar project and 1320 MW HUBCO project which would be completed by the year 2018-19. He said that Rs 173 billion were allocated for improvement in the existing power transmission and distribution systems to bear burden of increased electricity production in next two years. Responding to a question, he said, unemployment was reduced from 6.24% in 2013 to 5.94%. He said that the country also witnessed a reduction in poverty.
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