Country’s economy stabilizing, law and order improving: Khurram

ISLAMABAD, Nov 5 (APP): Minister for Commerce Khurram Dastgir
Khan on Thursday said that Pakistan has almost overcome the
challenges of extremism and energy crisis and it was stabilizing
economically.
“Pakistan economy is stabilizing as all international rating
agencies and institutes have termed the country’s economy as positive
to stable,” said Khurram Dastgir Khan.
Addressing the Pakistan Investment Conference fourth session
“Investment in Textiles and Garments and Other Industries to Boost
Exports”, he said in order to according to the vision of Prime
Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, he said that negotiations for
Free Trade Agreements (FTA) have also been initiated with Thailand
and Turkey.
The minister said that Pakistan was also re-establishing its
connectivity with the rest of the world after a decade long period
of unrest in the country.
He added that under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC),
Pakistan would be connected with China and five Central Asian energy
rich states which would also benefit the regional and global trade.
He said work on Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI)
gas pipeline would commence next month, which would improve the
energy need of the country.
He said Free Trade Agreement-2 (FTA-2) is also being negotiated
with China with a view to reviewing different aspects of the existing FTA.
The minister said under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz
Sharif, Pakistan has begun to be reconnected with the world through
economic diplomacy, infrastructure, new agreements and democratic
stabilization.
Khurram said the government recognizes the importance of
interregional connectivity and to enhance regional trade with all
regional countries for economic growth and stability of the country.
He said that Pakistan was not only a vociferous proponent of
the World Trade Organization (WTO) trade facilitation agreement but
has also initiated necessary reforms to create a facilitative
environment for trade.
Khurram Dastgir said that Pakistan’s inclusion in the GSP plus
scheme has provided the much required impetus for both local and
foreign investors to take advantage of this significantly profitable
opportunity.Besides this,like other countries Pakistan has also entered in
to multiple bilateral trading arrangements with the objective
integrating its economy with the region, he added.
“We also recognize the importance of regional connectivity and
we are partners to multi nodal bilateral transport agreements, he
added.”Khurram Dastgir said that Karachi and Balochistan operation
against terrorism supports to evolve the conducive environment for
foreign investment and for economic prosperity.