PPP co-chairman reiterates call for charter of economy

LAHORE:

PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Friday said he had neither cheated anyone nor would he deceive the PML-N.

The PPP leader’s remarks came in the wake of rumours that his party would quit the ruling coalition to cement its position in its previous stronghold of Punjab.
He was speaking to the media accompanied by All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Patron-in-Chief Gohar Ejaz in Lahore.

During his huddle with the association’s representatives, he invited the country’s leading textile industrialists to become part of his team to lead the government on commerce and finance.

Zardari also stressed the need for a charter of economy. The PPP co-chairperson asked the business community to come up with the charter itself and convince the political parties to sign it.

He added that he would be the first person to sign the charter. Zardari insisted that the charter of economy should be prepared with a clause that if any party violated it, it could be taken to court.

He said he had even offered the “cricketer” to sign a charter of economy, referring to former premier Imran Khan. “He [Imran] and his people had no idea of doing business. They were inept,” he continued.

Zardari said he had asked the “cricketer” to do whatever he wanted to them, but sign the charter of economy. However, he did not listen.

The former president said the general elections were just around the corner and asked the participants of the meeting to join his team so they could utilise their abilities while remaining in the government.

He added that if given the chance, the PPP would want the textile minister (commerce and trade minister) and  finance minister to be from its ranks so they could use their expertise for the betterment of the country.

Zardari said the business community should take the reins of the state of trade affairs in its hands, adding that he would want someone who could say “no” to his face.

He also clarified that it did not matter who they supported politically, maintaining that it was a free democracy and they were free to make their decisions.

The PPP co-chairperson said if given the chance, he would provide the business circles with a level playing field.

Zardari said his dream of a pipeline from Iran was also near realisation, as ice between Riyadh and Tehran had thawed.

He added that they could receive LNG from it, and only a 50-mile section of the pipeline remained to be constructed.

The PPP co-chairperson said with fuel from Iran, the input cost would reduce, making the country’s industries more competitive.

He expressed his desire to cultivate cotton in Jhal Magsi. “It would be  equivalent to Egyptian cotton,” he added.

Zardari said if the government had listened to him, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal would have been much easier.

He emphasised the need for focusing on the agricultural sector.

The PPP leader said currently there was a financial crunch in the world, and Pakistan needed to capitalise on that.

He also stressed on the need to upgrade the country’s educational system to meet the needs of the industrial sector.

Zardari pointed out that there was a huge potential in fisheries.

He also talked about carbon crediting and how it was generating billions.
He said that 10 years ago, they focused on mangroves.

“Today after 10 years, the mangroves are producing Rs4.5 billion in carbon credits and we will continue receiving this amount,” he added.

Zardari maintained that Bangladesh leading in textile export was primarily a “sham”.

He maintained that Indian produce was brought to Bangladesh to brand it as “made in India” to benefit Dhaka’s underdeveloped status.

The textile industrialists informed Zardari of the problem faced by their sector.

The APTMA was up in arms against the revision in gas and electricity prices in the 2023-24 budget and urged the government to restore the regional competitive energy prices (RCEP) to ensure survival of the textile industry.

The APTMA recently wrote a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and simultaneously ran a media campaign to inform the government of the urgency of the matter.

During his visit, the former president was given an extensive briefing by APTMA representatives that ranged from the challenges faced by the industry to the decline in the cotton yield.

The APTMA representatives expressed their gratitude to the former president  and gave him a standing ovation.