Faisal Zahid Malik terms summit a great opportunity to boost economy of country
Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has said that Pakistan will be at the center stage of the world diplomacy as it is hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit on October 14 and 15. He expressed these views while talking to Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Pakistan Observer, Mr Faisal Zahid Malik who called on him and express support and solidarity with the government’s economic policies meant for growing of business, increasing exports and reducing inflation.
Ahsan Iqbal who is also overseeing the CPEC Phase-II projects hailed all-weather friendship between Pakistan and China stressing the need to follow the Chinese model of national development. “Peace, consistency of policies and implementing reforms in all sectors are prerequisites for progress and development of any country and we can learn this from China,” he said.
China, the minister said, brought investment in Pakistan when no country was willing to make investment in the country and we were facing an economic nightmare.
Reflecting on China’s remarkable rise in the past few decades, Ahsan Iqbal praised the Chinese leadership for bringing out 800 million people out of poverty in just three to four decades—an achievement unprecedented in human history.
The minister was of the view that the current civil-military leadership was on the same page and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) had become a forum and a source of confidence for the investors.
He said that the foreign remittances had also increased up to 44 percent during the last two months.
Mr Faisal Zahid Malik while commending the rational policies of the government urged a broader consensus by all the stakeholders on national issues. Pakistan, he said was fortunate to host an international summit which would attract the investors and business companies from all over the world and we should take maximum advantage of this opportunity.
Ahsan Iqbal termed the role of media crucial in shaping the public opinion over the national issues and spoke highly of the role of Pakistan Observer and its founder late Zahid Malik for upholding the Pak-China enduring friendship and cordial relations.
Pakistan Observer has always been in the forefront to confront any propaganda against the national interests of Pakistan, he said. Later the Minister presented Mr Faisal Zahid Malik a souvenir in recognition of his newspaper’s invaluable contributions for the national cause.
