Common man’s relief, investors’ facilitation among govt priorities: PM

ISLAMABAD, Nov 11 (APP):Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday said that after achieving the economic stability and revival of business sector’s confidence, the government was now fully focusing the common man’s relief besides ensuring the investors’ facilitation and bringing the ease of doing business.

Chairing a meeting of his economic team here, the prime minister said that in order to bridge demand and supply gap and make future estimates, a special cell was being set up at the Ministry of Food Security for future planning and administrative measures.
He said the step would not only help bridge the demand and supply gap but also control the prices of the commodities.

Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar, Planning Minister Khusro Bakhtiar, Finance Advisor Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Commerce Advisor Abdul Razak Dawood, special assistants to prime minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Dr Sania Nishtar, Yousuf Baig Mirza and Nadeem Babar, Chairman Board of Investment Zubair Gilani, ex-finance minister Shaukat Tareen, FBR Chairman Shabbar Zaidi, Chairman of Naya Pakistan Housing Authority Lt. General (Retd) Anwar Ali Hyder and senior officers of the ministries attended the meeting.

The meeting discussed the promotion of foreign investment, incentives for large scale industrial units, enforcement of the decision for duty free import of hospitals’ equipment, coordination among center and provinces in the oil, gas and minerals sectors, reduction in sugar prices and revival of Pakistan Steel Mills.

While discussing the promotion of minerals and mining sectors, the prime minister assured the federal government’s support to the provinces for their capacity building in oil, gas and the minerals sectors.

The commerce advisor apprised the prime minister that the process for duty free import of the hospitals’ equipment would complete within fortnight.
The prime minister was also briefed on the incentives being given to the large scale industrial units.

SAPM on Petroleum Nadeem Babar told the meeting that the 12 exploration and production blocks would be auctioned by December 15 for which road shows and other publicity events were being held in different countries. He hoped that the auction was expected to bring in considerable investment.

The prime minister was also updated on the progress in the establishment of the Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline and Parco Coastal Refinery.

The meeting was told that effective measures were being taken to control the sugar price by discouraging the hoarding and profiteering. It was told that the government’s decision to provide Rs 6 billion to the Utility Stores Corporation for supply of daily use items would remarkably reduce the prices.

The prime minister was told that a sufficient stock of the sugar was currently available in the country.

The commerce advisor also briefed the meeting about the efforts being made for the revival of the Pakistan Steel Mills while the finance minister highlighted the improved economic condition and the indicators.