ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari Monday said that the PPP-led coalition government had laid foundation for democracy in the five years and made the Parliament a supreme institution.
"Nations are not built in five years as it is a long and continuous process and the government despite all the challenges has been able to make the Parliament and other institutions supreme," the President said while speaking to the office-bearers of Youth Presidents Organization (YPO) and World President Organization (WPO) at Awan-e-Sadr.
He said that for the first time in the country's history, a democratically elected government would complete a full five-year term next year.
The President on the occasion said that the present government accorded top priority to strengthening of the Parliament and that he surrendered all his powers to the Parliament for the sake of betterment and prosperity of the people and to make Pakistan more stable with a strong and powerful Parliament.
The President said when dictatorship comes it pushes back the country 25 years back and democratic set-up has to start from scratch.
"Our today's contributions -- as described by some as our weaknesses will become our strength tomorrow," the President said and added it was not bravery to inflict pain but courage was to bear it.
He urged the young entrepreneurs and businessmen not to be discouraged from the issues confronting the country as Pakistan had a lot of resources and potential and the dire need was to exploit it.
The President said law and order was a big issue, but it was because the country was facing war like situation, which was being fought in its backyard.
He expressed the resolve that the country would be steered out of difficulties and would be put it on the road to progress.
" We are building a Pakistan where everyone has equal opportunities, particularly women and that is why we appointed first female Speaker of the National Assembly and first female Foreign Minister," he said.
The President said that it was the first government during the last 30 years which had got full time. Media has full liberty to express its views and all the states institutions are working freely, he added.
The President, while answering a question from the participants, said that they saw no problem regarding their win in the next general polls.
About the law and order situation of Karachi, he said the present situation was because of effects of war on borders and urged the business community to come forward and join hands with the government to eradicate the monster of terrorism from the country.
He said the war on terror had hugely impacted the country's economy, trade and investment. He said that he lost his wife, Shaheed Mohtrama Benazir Bhutto in the war on terror, but urged the young leaders not to give up hope but continue working for the prosperity of the future generation and help the government in this regard.
He said the government has laid the foundations of a strong economy and have focused on promoting regional trade and regional connectivity as Pakistan's geo-strategic location between the two largest markets of the world,i.e China and India, has immense potential for trade and economic growth.
The President urged for working together to find new avenues for economic growth and empowering women of the country as Pakistan cannot progress unless our women are empowered.
He urged the entrepreneurs and businessmen to utilize the great economic potential and strategic location of Pakistan coupled with rich mineral resources and skilled manpower for economic development of the country and welfare of the people.
He said that the Special Economic Zone Bill, 2012 was a gigantic step of the government to create business and investors friendly environment.
He expressed the hope that the new law will help reduce the cost of doing business and enhance the rate of return to investors, besides increasing exports and creating employment opportunities in the country.
Under the new law all capital goods, machinery and equipment will be given one time exemption from customs duties and the entrepreneurs will also be exempted from Income Tax for ten years, the President said and added that the incentives granted to the investors would be protected by law, which would help ensure continuity of economic policies and further strengthening the industrial base of the country.
President Zardari said that the government was keen to create an environment that is conducive for entrepreneurship as the success of entrepreneurs' means economic development and creation of job opportunities and called upon the YPO-WPO for their positive contribution in this regard.
The President urged for joint efforts to find ways to promote education and to banish illiteracy and intolerance, besides creating a positive business environment in the country. He stressed the need for working together to transform the life of every Pakistani for the better and expressed confidence that we can transform Pakistan into a modern state.
The President urged for working together to make the country a land of opportunity and prosperity where the social and economic rights of every citizen are fully protected.
He said the government had laid a strong foundation for the country by making the institutions stronger and reached to the areas and people who were left in the past.
Earlier, President of the World President Organization Arif Ali Shah Bukhari and President of the Young President Organization also spoke and threw light on the working and contribution of the organizations for uplift of the economy and the country.
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