Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that the government can get the country through the “difficult time” by hard work, joint efforts, and austerity, adding that “witchcraft” won’t help the nation.
The country’s chief executive, who came into power in March this year, made the remarks while addressing the apex committee of the Special Investment and Facilitation Council’s 10th meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday.
Addressing the civil-military forum established to attract foreign investment, the premier said that joint efforts were being made to resolve the country’s issues.
Briefing the participants about his recent visits to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, PM Shehbaz said that during the meetings leaders and delegations of other countries expressed their satisfaction with the performance of SIFC.
Referring to the alleged criticism over the body, the premier said: “Concerns were expressed when the SIFC took legal form.”
Over time, the forum silenced its critics with its achievements, he said, adding: “SIFC playing a key role in the development of Pakistan.”
The premier said that all the provincial governments repose trust in the SIFC, adding that they would achieve their goals through the forum.
Moving on to economic reforms, PM Shehbaz told the participants that a foreign firm had been hired for the digitalisation of the Federal Board of Revenue. The premier said that the UAE pledged to invest $10 billion in Pakistan.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Punjab’s Maryam Nawaz, Sindh’s Murad Ali Shah and Balochistan’s Sarfraz Bugti were among the attendees of the meeting.
According to a statement from the PM’s Office, the SIFC meeting met with PM Shehbaz in the chair to review various initiatives and projects that fall under the forum. Chief of the Army Staff Gen Syed Asim Munir, members of the federal cabinet, and high-level officials attended the meeting. “The participants of the meeting reviewed progress on economic cooperation with friendly countries.”
Speaking on the occasion, COAS Gen Munir assured the government of the army’s cooperation in their steps for economic prosperity in the country.
He also assured the military’s cooperation on the government’s initiatives for socio-economic welfare.
The statement further said that the forum also reaffirmed its determination to improve the environment for investment.
Matters related to privatisation of loss-making state-owned enterprises were also discussed in the meeting.
The forum expressed satisfaction with the ongoing privatisation process and stressed the need to complete the process in collaboration with concerned stakeholders.
