ISLAMABAD, Nov 26 (APP):Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday said since exports’ augmentation had a vital role in the improvement of economy that was why; the facilitation of exporters and addressing their problems were among the government’s foremost priorities.
Expressing these views while chairing a meeting of the government’s economic team here, he said the exporters should be provided hassle-free payment of refunds.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Communications Murad Saeed, Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar, Minister for National Food Security Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Minister for Privatization Muhammadmian Soomro, Minister for Planning Asad Umar, Minister for Energy Umar Ayub, Advisor on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Advisor on Finance Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Advisor on Reforms Dr Ishrat Hussain, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Nadeem Babar, Chairman of Board of Investment (BOI) Syed Zubair Gilani, former Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen, Governor State Bank Reza Baqir, Chairman of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Shabbar Zaidi and senior officers.
The meeting discussed in detail matters relating to refunds of businessmen, promotion of construction sector particularly the progress on the construction of five million housing units for the low income people across the country and the launching of “Food Bank” programme in cooperation with a non-governmental welfare organization Akhuwat.
Advisor on Finance Abdul Hafeez Sheikh and Chairman of FBR Shabbar Zaidi briefed the meeting about the measures regarding the refunds to the exporters.
The prime minister referred to the complaints of some business circle regarding the new system of refunds and said measures should be taken for immediate redressal of these complaints.
He said the business community should be facilitated by all means to get them fully aware of the new system of refunds.
Chairman of Naya Pakistan Housing Authority Lt Gen (R) Anwar Ali Haider while briefing the meeting about the promotion of construction sector especially the progress on housing programme for low income people said a considerable progress had been made in that respect.
He expressed the hope that the first project consisting of 15,000 units under the housing programme would be formally launched very soon and the construction of housing units at least in three provinces would be started by the end of December.
Former Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen briefed the meeting about the “Food Bank” Programme initiated in cooperation with a non-governmental welfare organization Akhuwat.
Under the programme, Akhuwat would collect the additional food from different homes, hotels and marriage halls, and provide the deserving people on their doorsteps.
The programme would be initially started from Lahore in partnership with 100 restaurants.
The collected food would be supplied free of charge to the registered homes and deserving people in Kachai Abadis as well as at various points including the railway stations, bus stands, hospitals and other places.
The meeting was told that during the first three months, the food would be supplied to 20,000 people and the number would be raised gradually.
Welcoming the “Food Bank” programme, the prime minister said since the programme was in line with the government’s vision and welfare activities, the government would cooperate in the provision of monthly expenditures as well as the required resources for the launching of this programme.