Staff Reporter
Lahore
President Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Engr Daroo Khan Achakzai lauding the government for its announcement to construct state of the art cargo airport to facilitate local and foreign industrialists of Allama Iqbal Industrial City expressed his hoped that it would help the country for promoting the ‘business-friendly’ atmosphere to earn much-needed foreign exchange by enhancing volume of exports.
In a telephonic conversation with Chairman Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC) Mian Kashif Ashfaq here on Tuesday, Engr Daroo Khan appreciated him for his untiring efforts for facilitating local and foreign investors to generate business activities.
He said that it was a good decision as cargo airport would provide a cheaper travelling facility to the region’s traders of South Asia along domestic and international routes as existing infrastructure would be insufficient to fulfill future needs. To capture the actual potential, the government should improve logistics infrastructure and potential inter-region, he added.
“Government needs to understand that logistics is a complete industry and the country’s domestic, regional and international trade relied on proper logistics,” the FPCCI Chief said adding that the inefficiency in the freight sector creates economic losses as much as 1% of country’s GDP.
He said under dynamic leadership of Imran Khan, the economy of the country would be revived completely. He said the good thing is that Pakistan’s huge mineral resources can help get rid of the economic ills, particularly external debts within next five years.
“The country has one of the largest reserves of gold and copper and coal in the world. According to a rough estimate, value of coal reserves in Pakistan is 187 times more than the GDP of Pakistan and only 2-percent of Pakistani coal reserves that can generate 20,000 MW of electricity for almost 50 years,” Engr Daroo Khan added.
He further said Faisalabad was a major industrial city of the country, having a vibrant trade and business community. “Industrialists of Faisalabad have always been on the forefront of development by serving to the core of their heart,” he added.
Chairman FIEDMC Mian Kashif Ashfaq expressing his gratitude for supporting him said that Pakistan is passing through a deep crisis; however, the government has carved out a comprehensive strategy to revive economy on sustained basis.
He said recent measures have attracted many foreign investors who have planned to invest in mega industrial projects. He further said that economic and political stability was pre-requisite for economic revival and everyone should play role in this regard.
Mian Kashif said that the nation needs solidarity and Chambers of Commerce and Industry across the country should have to play their role in convincing the business community to stand by the government for the development, progress and prosperity of Pakistan.
He further said that country’s exports can become an engine of growth and prosperity in Pakistan, if relevant institutions, both in public and private sectors implement a well tailored, well consulted and widely discussed strategy and FIEDMC in this regard is providing all available facilities besides packages of special incentives to all local and foreign investors and industrialists.
The Chairman FIEDMC said that a little attention towards to identification of new markets for Pakistani merchandise can do a lot for the country and in this regard, Pakistani missions abroad and FIEDMC is ready to play a proactive role.
