KARACHI, Dec 01 (APP): Federal Minister for Planning Development & Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday announced to form a permanent forum of stakeholders to find out solutions to the issues facing trade and industry in a bid to reach a comprehensive and targeted long-term economic plan and jointly work for its earliest execution.

Speaking at an interactive session with the members of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he said the forum would meet regularly after every two months under the chair of Federal Minister for Planning and Development.

It would include representatives of the major chambers of commerce and industry of the country, besides the Governor State Bank of Pakistan, the Chairman Federal Board of Revenue, and senior officers from the Ministry of Planning and Development, and other line ministries.

Prominent on KCCI side were M. Zubair Motiwala, Chairman of Businessmen Group in Karachi Chamber, former president of the chamber and Chief Executive Officer of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, President KCCI Tariq Yousuf, former presidents of KCCI Anjum Nisar, Iftikhar Vohra, A.Q.Khalil and former senior vice president M. Jawed Bilwani.

The federal minister reiterated that all political parties should sit together for the good of the country and sign a charter of the economy of the country which would guarantee the continuity and consistency of the policies and development plans at least for the next ten years.

It would be very hard to attract local and foreign investment unless sustainable economic policies were ensured.

He said that economic stability and sustainability could not be achieved unless political stability in the country. And, he continued, PML-N led government was sincerely and seriously working on this account.

He was critical on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leadership for “negative politics” and immature attitude that was casting on the national economy and the people’s life.

He said that over the last four years the economy and development in the country were badly affected due to wrong policies of PTI government.

Even Chinese government was irritated and the pace of work on CPEC projects slowed down, he added.
“Now, the present coalition government had to take hard and unpopular decisions to bring the economy back on the right track,” he recalled.

“Our government has succeeded in bringing Chinese government closer and CPEC projects are getting momentum, “ he added.

He resolved that with joint efforts of the government and private sector, which was the main player in the economy, Pakistan would easily get target of $ 100 billion exports within next five years.

He listed the achievements of the past PML-N governments on economic and social fronts.

To a question from media, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal said that next general elections would be held on its schedule which is October 2023.

The minister listened to the business leaders who spoke of the issues facing trade and industry, especially in Karachi and responded in detail, with the assurance that the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif was standing with the business community for strengthening of the economy and prosperity in the country.

Chairman, Businessmen Group in KCCI and CEO TDAP , M.Zubair Motiwala, KCCI President Tariq Yousuf , M.Jawed Bilwani and Anjum Nisar briefed the minister about the issues discouraging trade and industrial activities in one way or another.