Corruption is a hurdle: Official stresses accountability will boost economy

Special Assistant to the PM on Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar says it will ease business, improve transparency

ISLAMABAD: The business community is the central plank for the economic development of Pakistan and the ongoing accountability process will promote environment conducive for business, said Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar.

While addressing the business community at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), he said accountability would promote transparency, reduce corruption and improve ease of doing business in the country.

He said the purpose of accountability was not hunting and imprisoning people, but was aimed at promoting good governance and transparency in the country. Akbar said that the cost of doing business in Pakistan was quite high, due to which our exports had become uncompetitive in international markets.

However, the government was striving hard to make production cost competitive and facilitate growth of businesses, he added. The official suggested that the business community should give its proposals for ease of doing business and the government would give them due consideration.

Also speaking at the occasion, ICCI President Ahmed Hassan Moughal said that corruption was a major hurdle in the economic development of the country. He said in pursuit of meeting government’s revenue targets, the FBR measures were putting more burden on the existing taxpayers.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2018.

Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.