ISLAMABAD, Oct 26 (APP):Prime Minister Imran Khan Saturday tasked his economic team to focus the uplifting of the construction and Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sectors as the country’s economic indicators had started improving.
Chairing a meeting of his economic team, the Prime Minister felicitated the relevant departments and officials over the elevation of Pakistan’s ranking in ease of doing business by the World Bank terming it a great achievement of the country, a PM Office statement said.
The meeting was attended by federal ministers Khusro Bakhtiar, Ali Zaidi, Omar Ayub and Hammad Azhar, Advisors Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Abdul Razak Dawood and Dr Ishrat Hussain, Special Assistants Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Yousuf Baig Mirza, Shaukat Tareen, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue Shabbar Zaidi, Governor State Bank Baqir Raza, Chairman Board of Investment Zubair Gilani and senior officers.
The objective of frequent interaction by the Prime Minister with his economic team was to help accelerate the economic activity in the country.
Briefing the prime minister, Governor State Bank Baqir Raza said that around 46,940 had been pending with the banking courts and their early disposal required legal reforms.
Regarding promotion of SMEs, the Prime Minister was told that the Board of Governors of SMEDA comprising vibrant and expert people was being formed. The appointment of the SMEDA’s CEO would be made by December and a three-year strategy would also be formulated in this regard.
The Prime Minister told his economic team that it was among the government’s priorities to facilitate both the local as well as the foreign investors.
He said the value of the local currency had regained stability and the indicators of the stock market were showing improvement. He also directed his team to facilitate the overseas Pakistanis by bringing ease in sending the remittances.
On the Prime Minister’s directive, the Frontier Works Organization deferred the implementation of the axle load policy on M-9 Motorway for one year. The decision was taken on the request of the trader’s community.
