Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan said on Thursday that his party would bring institutional reforms and ensure ease of doing business once it came to power. Addressing the business community on his visit to the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, he said corruption was the country's bigger issue since the top political layer is directly involved in it without fear of accountability.
"We are working against corruption from the very top," he said, quoting former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohammad, who said that a country cannot progress if it is under a corrupt leadership. Without elaborating, Imran Khan said his party has a comprehensive economic agenda which would bring about a sustainable economic and industrial growth in Pakistan.
He said the PTI would evolve economic plans involving representatives of the business community, with the Prime Minister's directly overseeing economic and commercial affairs. In his government, the businessmen would not have to run around trying to get their demands fulfilled. He said the Federal Board of Revenue, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the National Accountability Bureau, the Election Commission, the Election Commission and similar bodies in need of structural reforms will become autonomous bodies.
He expressed concern over the country's increasing trade imbalance. Pakistan's exports are just around $21 billion but its imports have shot up to $60 billion. Meanwhile, the government continues to rely on foreign borrowings to run the country's affairs, he added. Commenting on the performance of the PTI government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said that around 1.18 billion trees have been planted across the province in the last four years, which will help reduce the pollution rate and benefit the future generations.
His government also brought reforms in the police department of the province, enabling the IG to run policing affairs independently. Party MNA Asad Umar said the party would establish an economic advisory council and a business advisory council once it comes to power. The councils are aimed at boosting economic and business activities and to ensure better conditions for businessmen. He said the prime minister would directly chair the meetings of these councils. He also underscored the need of reformed tax policy.
Responding to a demand of FPCCI office-bearers for a onetime tax amnesty policy so that the money taken out of the country can be brought back, Asad Umar said eight such schemes were launched in Pakistan's history, of which three were introduced by the incumbent federal government, but in each case the result remained unsatisfactory.
In order to compete with the regional competitors, Pakistan must bring the cost of doing business down to a reasonable level, he said. Electricity and gas rates in Pakistan are higher than those in regional countries, he said. At the same time, he added, Pakistan imposes more direct taxes than other countries in the region. Tax reforms are a must, he said, and Pakistan has to ensure ease of doing business for sustained economic growth.
Party secretary general Jahangir Tareen said political will is mandatory to bring the country out of challenges. He said that the PTI under the leadership of Imran Kahn is committed to steering the country out of crises as it has proven in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, because of a set of measures it has adopted, including police reforms and the billion trees initiative. He said institution building and good governance are necessary for the progress of the nation, which is why it is the agenda of the PTI.
In his speech, FPCCI president Zubair F.Tufail highlighted the serious issues that the country was presently facing. He said that FPCCI has started a series of meetings with political parties to know their economic agendas for the forthcoming general elections.
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