Caretaker Ministers confident of elections on schedule

KARACHI, Jul 02 (APP):Caretaker Ministers — representing Balochistan, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa governments -have pledged to facilitate holding of in-time, fare , free and transparent general election.
“The prime task with us, Caretaker governments, is to ensure free, fair
and transparent elections on schedule,” said a group of seven ministers from the above three provinces who were given a reception by Businessmen Panel in Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Sunday night.
The Ministers included Mian Anjum Nisar, Haji Fazal Ellahi, Mir Naveed
Jan Kalmati Baloch, Mian Nauman Kabir, Ms. Farzana Baloch, Imam Bakhsh Baloch and Malik Khurram Shahzad.
On FPCCI side, the prominent leaders were Patron-in-Chief of BMP, Tariq
Saeed,Mian Nasir Hayyat Maggo, Mian Zahid Hussain, FPCCI’s former presidents Zakria Usman and Sultan Ahmed Chawla, Abdul Rahim Jannu, Mehtabuddin Chawla, Amjad Rafi and Abdul Karim Dadhy.
Punjab Minister for Industry and Commerce Mian Anjum Nisar , like other
ministers present there, assured that the coming general elections would be held on schedule and these will be fair, free and transparent.
He said the team of Caretaker Ministers picked from the business
community were making their best effort to resolve the pending issues of trade and industry.
He expressed his concern that the country’s imports for the fiscal year
2017-18 were around $61 billion whereas the imports amounted to only $23 billion.
“Only solution is to boost exports,” he asserted.
Because of certain limitations, the Caretaker government could not take
new initiatives or make policies but at least would set direction for the coming elected government, he said.
He said Rupees one hundred billion were collected through the Tax
Amnesty Scheme. With the extension of 31 days, the scheme would yield more revenue to the national exchequer.
He said selection of business persons as ministers at the centre and in
the provinces showed confidence on the business community.
He emphasized on right use of vote so that new government could be based
on honest, committed and competent people who could better deliver to the country.
Haji Fazal Ellahi, Energy Ministry from Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, invited
businessmen to invest in his province as it was had big gas deposits to be explored.
Mir Naveed Jan Kalmati Baloch, Minister for Public Health Engineering
from Balochistan, also invited investors to his province which was rich in minerals.
Punjab Minister Mian Nauman Kabir emphasized on focusing new
entrepreneurs.
He assured his full cooperation and support to the business community in
promoting trade and industry.
Balochistan Minister Ms. Farzana Baloch regretted that the economy of
the country was in worse condition and the Caretakers should do something good.
Another Balochistan Minister Imam Bakshah Baloch vowed to revive
important institutions like Board of Investment, which was ineffective for long.
Balochistan Information Minister Malik Khurram Shahzad said due to lack
of investment the province was facing many economic and social issues.
Zakria Usman, Sultan Ahmed Chawla, Mehtabuddin Chawla, Aqeel Karim Dadhy
and Amjad Rafi spoke on the trade and industry issues.