National News

ISLAMABAD, (MILLAT+APP): Minister for Finance Senator Muhammad
Ishaq Dar Thursday urged the business community to support the prime minister and his team’s economic policies for the socio-economic
prosperity of the country.
Whatever promises made to the business community by the prime
minister, including provision of sufficient quantity of electricity
and gas to the industrial sector and business community, had been
fulfilled, he added.
Ishaq Dar was addressing the 40th export award ceremony organized
here by Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries
(FPCCI).
He said the government would add 15,000 MW electricity to the
national grid by June 2018 which would help propel economic growth,
generate employment opportunities and boost exports.
Some 10,000 MW electricity would be added by March next year
which would help reduce power shortage in the country, he added.
The ceremony was inaugurated by Prime Minister Muhammad
Nawaz Sharif.
The finance minister said when the present government came
into power, the economy was in a shambles and the country was on
the verge of default.
The government, he said, took a number of bold decisions
to stabilize the economy. As the country was now moving on the
path of economic growth, it was focusing on further measures
to boost it, he added.
Highlighting the steps taken by the government to exterminate
the menace of terrorism, he said the government had spent Rs 300
billion on war against terrorism. As a result peace had been
restored in the country, including Karachi and North Waziristan,
he added.
He said the focus of the prime minister was on boosting
exports and creating employment opportunities for the people.
He said some elements were trying to derail the country’s
economic development and creating hurdles for the government to
implement economic development agenda. Such elements would
be rejected by the people in next general election because
of their negative politics, he added.