‘Pakistan’s economic trends positive’

Finance minister, US envoy discuss issues of mutual concern.

ISLAMABAD: Despite energy scarcity and a non-ideal law and order situation in the country, Pakistan’s economic trends were showing positive signs which reflect the resilience of the country’s economy, said the Federal Minister of Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.

Shaikh was called upon by the US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson.

The finance minister said that due to successful economic policies of the government, Pakistan was witnessing the lowest inflation rate in the region and the Karachi Stock Exchange had emerged as the best performing stock market in the world.

The finance minister informed the US envoy that welfare of the poor segments of the society remains the top priority of the government and efforts had been made to provide necessary funding to uplift the masses.

He said that despite financial constraints, adequate funds were being provided for public welfare projects. Shaikh further informed Olson that the government had reached to the poorest of the poor to provide them relief under a number of initiatives including the Benazir Income Support Programme, which was being successfully carried out to reach to the target communities.

The US ambassador Olson said economic stability of Pakistan was an encouraging sign. He informed that the US was assisting Pakistan in many public welfare projects and will continue to do so in the future to further cement relations between the two nations.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2013.

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