Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Wednesday said that high growth achieved during the last few years and the consequent surge in demand for consumer goods has created tremendous opportunities for private sector and the government will ensure continuity of policies to maintain the momentum of growth.
Talking to Ehsan Malik, Chairman Unilever Pakistan who called on him on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said the economic landscape of the country had been completely transformed during the last seven years. The size of the economy and per capita income have doubled and poverty has declined both in the urban and rural areas, he added.
The Prime Minister said the middle class is growing and the capacity of the people to pay has substantially improved. The government has ensured that all its policies are transparent and investment friendly, he added. Ehsan Malik appreciated the leadership of the country for taking personal interest in removing impediments and bottlenecks to investments.
He said Unilever is optimistic about the future growth prospects of Pakistan and planning to expand their operations. Ehsan Malik informed the Prime Minister that Unilever's business is expanding rapidly. The sales of Unilever products grew by 20 percent during the last financial year.
The sale of ice cream increased by 50 percent during the period and there was 29 percent increase in the sale of personal care products. The Prime Minister said that Unilever is a major multinational company that has been an active investor in the Pakistani market and its success can be judged from the fact that its products have made it a household name in Pakistani homes. The meeting was also attended by Chairman CBR, Abdullah Yousaf and other officials.