ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has reiterated that the government is committed to facilitating the country’s exporters and urged them to adopt export-oriented policies for the public and the private sectors to accelerate export-led growth.

The minister made these remarks while chairing a roundtable with the country’s exporters to review the progress of the exports and issues being faced by them, organised by the Planning Ministry on Tuesday.

The roundtable was attended by the representatives of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and several exporters related to various industries.

“Increasing exports is the only solution to get rid of the crisis and every sector should set a target to increase exports,” said the minister, while assuring them that the government will facilitate and remove all bottlenecks in this regard.

The minister while acknowledging their contributions said that exports are the backbone of the country’s economy and the government is taking concrete steps to facilitate them.

The Planning minister informed the audience that the government will organise a conference soon while inviting the country’s 50 brands to highlight their work globally and in this regard, a body will be established as well so that Pakistan’s work can be showcased globally.

While referring to the two crises which had faced the government since it came into power in April 2022, the minister said that the flood last year affected the country badly and the poor economic situation which was left by the previous government as a result, the incumbent government took hard decisions to bring the country on the path of stability.

The minister further added that economic stability is linked with political stability and there is a dire need of time for political stability in the country. Time has come to leave aside the political differences and to focus on the country’s economy to make Pakistan a prosperous country, said the minister, while assuring the exporters to consider their recommendations and suggestions.

During the meeting, the exporters appreciated the Planning Ministry’s initiatives for taking them onboard. The exporters from various industries which included textile, leather, meat, surgical, and others have also shared their issues which were addressed by the minister and assured them that the Planning Ministry will play a key role to facilitate them and to resolve their issues.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023