Education, exports key to reviving economy

Iqbal asks political parties to agree on common agenda to turn around economy

ISLAMABAD:

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has termed education, enterprises and exports the key to reviving Pakistan’s economy.

Speaking at the “All Parties Conference for Revival of Economy”, organised by the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) in collaboration with the National Press Club, Iqbal said that all political parties should agree on a common agenda to turn around the economy.

Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Finance Miftah Ismail said “diverting domestic manufacturing to exports, improving agricultural productivity, providing education to the out-of-school children, focus on science and technology and living within our own means were important for the revival of economy”.

Highlighting the key factors for giving a boost to the economy, Adviser to PM on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Qamar Zaman Kaira said that improving agricultural productivity, encouraging investment in productive sectors, promoting industrial exports and enhancing manpower exports should be the way forward.

“GDP of Pakistan can be increased by 30% by enhancing the share of women in the labour force equal to men and 25% participation of women in the labour force will enhance the GDP by 9%,” said Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation Shazia Marri. Expressing his views during the conference, Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said “the country should adopt the economic model of the Prophet (PBUH) and Khulafa-e-Rashideen to revive the economy”.

“Issues like poverty, unemployment, local and foreign debt, terrorism and political tensions must be addressed to revive the economy,” said Awami National Party’s Himayatullah Mayar.

ICCI President Muhammad Shakeel Munir, while addressing the conference, said the purpose of organising the APC was to bring all stakeholders to one platform to develop a future roadmap with consensus for ramping up the economy.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 17^th, 2022.

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