Nawaz Sharif speaks at the luncheon hosted for European Union’s (EU) Ambassadors in Islamabad. PHOTO: PID
Speaking at a luncheon for European Union’s (EU) Ambassadors in Islamabad, Nawaz said that with the EU’s collaboration and support, Pakistan’s economy could be restored.
He added that the government is involved in anti-terrorism efforts and it is important that a solution to terrorism be found.
The government is engaged in spreading awareness about the negative impact of drone attacks in Pakistan to the international community, the PM said.
His statement comes a day after his meeting with US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel in which the PM assured Hagel that ‘immediate action’ would be taken to resolve the problem of stalled military shipments due to be taken across the border into Afghanistan.
Hagel had warned the premier that it could be difficult to maintain political support in Washington for an aid programme that has sent billions of dollars to Islamabad if this was not done.
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Why does any country that can afford to spend $3B a year on nukes and spends 65% of its budget on the military (including salaries, pensions, capital items, debt servicing on debt accumulated from past military purchases etc.) need any support from the foreign countries to "restore" its economy?
Or, is this just euphemism for begging for free money as usual?
so today the begging bowl is before EU..????
Sack NS'speech writer I am available ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ How to say "Nawaz said that with the EU’s collaboration and support, Pakistan’s economy could be restored.'? Say; I invite EU as partners in the dynamic and accelerated growth of the Pakistani economy.
Why not ask for support from other brotherly countries of the ummah, rather than the EU?
Mr. Nawaz Sharif the day you and other leaders understand that only Pakistan can help Pakistan to improve its economy.........that will be the day we progress.
@Muslim Leaguer: 700 million US$ equal to approx 70 billion pkr not 750
@Riz: Let him wear whatever watch he wants or whatever clothes he wants - at least Nawaz Sharif is improving the country and is working to improve relations overseas. Think about all the harm that was done by nearly a decade of Musharraf dictatorship and then 5 years of Zardari. No one added any electricity to the national grid and finally Nawaz Sharif is not only building energy plants but working to improve the economy. All the Indians here talking about begging should look at their own country first before crying about Pakistan working for trade and co operation. I hope Nawaz Sharif keeps up his good work!
@Muslim Leaguer: The IMF loan in its own description and detail mentions that the loan package will devalue the rupee and will cause the unemployment of 1.2 million people. Even if we are granted that GSP+ status, we will only create 25,000 jobs. Is that enough? No. Due to the rising inflation and pro-rich policies, the blood of common man has started boiling.
@All: The possible solutions to our problems are as follows: 1. Massive excavation of minerals and oil in KP and Baluchistan. This will require substantial funding from foreign investors (This is where PML-N's "experienced" and "business-friendly" government should have kicked in, but their masters aren't allowing them to develop, why? read my blog based on ET posts) 2. For immediate relief, oil contracts with Iran should be finalized. This will require immediate construction of refineries which can efficiently produce products from the Iranian crude oil. 3. To immediately kick-start the industrial sector, the stagnant units in KP should be made functional through immediate construction of wind/solar power parks (KP has huge wind-power potential). Work should be done in 24/7 cycles and the highest quality firms from China/Germany should be contracted. Do note that if we work on this efficiently, the power generation will gradually increase, and we will start powering up industrial sectors as we go along; so no waiting till the project's completion date. 4. Thorough analysis should be done of the imports, what and why are we importing a certain element. E. g. For machinery, research initiatives should be undertaken, employing the country's engineering force, to design inbred solutions. If we cannot immediately resolve this, investors should be encouraged to buy companies developing those machines. 5. Monumental sugar cane plantation incentives should be given to increase the country's ethanol output to be used in compliant car engines; diminishing the use of fossil fuels.
These measures will will decrease reliance on foreign exchange considerably and help to stabilize the ailing economy. It is time for Pakistanis throughout the world to unite to lift their nation from this state. The rulers have ravaged the country for 60 years, it's time we wake up and drag these vampires out on the streets!
@Muslim Leaguer: EU has not granted Pakistan GSP+ yet. The final meeting is next month. To get GSP+, Pakistan needed NOC from India and Bangladesh. To get NOC from India Pakistan said that it will grant MFN to India in 2012 and India issued a NOC to EU. Since MFN has not been granted, India will ask EU not to give Pakistan GSP+ to Pakistan. Pakistan has been playing a double talk policy for too long and has to suffer for it.
Not the EU Governments who themselves live on credits but the investors from the European Union could provide support and the impulse for Pakistan economy. I guess this is what Mr Nawaz Sharif meant in his speech. He must, however, lower down the barriers of beauracracy, remove the unrest among its people and terminate its pacts with leaders of war Nations.. Pakistan has the reservoir of the labour both skilled and unskilled, the ideal climatic conditions and the infra struture which has the potential for expansion, and more or less a vacuum in the industry sector, giving it the competitive advantage verses others in the region.
O'h yes; there is no reason why Pakistan cannot become an important link in the world of industry.. Mr Sharif knows the right address of the industry which is the motor for the European economy and the fourth largest economy of the world.
Rex Minor
ISLAMABAD: Reiterating his earlier statement, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that drone attacks are unacceptable, Express News reported on Tuesday. These rhetorics 'drone attacks are unacceptable' just won't work against the bellicosity of United States. Now 'walk the talk' and do some real tangible efforts. Actions speaks and not words...enough of these meaningless rhetoric. Give some strong message to the perpetrator.
@Pmahmud: Yeah if you listen to him talking about drones, N league wants to put its house in order first. OK first lets fix your tax system, subsidies, and economic policies before going out and banging the begging bowl. Enjoy 5 more years of mediocrity sheep.
Toothless tiger, Roars like a Lion and acts like a Coward.Shame on You Mr. PM
@Last Word: "Pakistan in its present state of the economic mess cannot do without foreign aid" ...not particularly accurate.
What a genius man he is!!!! He should be given a Nobel prize in begging....... So embarrassing....
@Kaleem: A vast majority of people do want to pay taxes, provided an honest and competent government is at the helm of affairs. Now most of theirs, if not all of, their hard earned money payed in the form of taxes are pilfered through corruption in public enterprises, be it steel mills, PIA, NICL, to name just a few, it is on record that about RS. 500 billion is pilfered through corruption in the government owned public corporations. All that money is tax payers money, mostly payed by middle and upper middle class. The higher echelons like industrialists, bureaucrats, feudals and real estate developers don't pay any taxes, save a few. And why is it that Pakistan ranks in top countries in philanthropy and charity...rivals Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark but the people are reluctant to pay taxes; the answer is people just don't trust government( 70 percent of parliamentarians don't pay taxes) There are no role models in the government(who pay taxes), and there are no one which the people can look up to as their messiah...waiting for some sort of real change though.
Beggers Belief!!
India has bangladesh to the east and bikharidesh to the left.
This man with all his and money stashed in US, UK , Dubai and Saudi Arabia, is not a leader, he is a politician... a class and a breed which can be termed as vision less and devoid of any foresight. Putting Nawaz Sharif in the office was all on the cards, and the main agenda of the game plan..so as to keep the old policies vis a vis US and the west should continue. Enough reasons for despair.
@Stellar: Thats funny, people do not want to pay taxes and do hard work. They want many public holidays every month. They do not want to send their girls to schools. Yet, this public is living in delusion that our ancestors have been emperors. Times have changed and now money is real game. We need to work hard as nation if we want dignity. It has to be snatched, the only way.
NS is again and again displaying a defeatist attitude ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Problems seem to overwhelm him. I dont expect him to last the full term.
@The Failed Rebel: You just nailed it...the government and the people are on totally different page here. People in general want to live with dignity and honor and with self esteem, and with no aid whatsoever, it is the government which is spineless and vision less, more hindsight than foresight. Downright deplorable and degradable.
No country on earth can revive Pakistan economy...except the Pakistanis themselves. There is no other way out. Only a nation with dignity and honor rises and no aid can help it develop. The government need to first inculcate some honor and self esteem in their ranks, which it severely lacks. The people can happily live with no aid...and no bellicosity.
Don't forget these are NATO's memebrs (EU)............linked with NATO's supply.
@SK: He would though be the right person for the post of the economic minister! He should make way in favour of the one who is able to lead the majority in the country. Democracy does not function efficiently when most of the people are illetrtate and have not the right judgement nor the opportunity to decide about the leadership.
Rex Minor
Once a beggar always a beggar
Loving the comments btw, Not the usual N-League drivel which Ch Daad and others spout.
Hi, Im an EU citizen, not some N-League supporter who doesnt know any better (yes i've heard about your metrobus and laptops lawl), Dear Nawaz, no it can't. The EU cannot do anything for you. The begging is embarrassing. The EU is totally finished, and on the brink of failure. Here in the UK most people want OUT of the EU.
Maybe he should drop by Greece unless by EU he means Germany bailing out Pakistan a colonial banana republic.
Those who are criticising the Pak PM have to realise that Pakistan in its present state of the economic mess cannot do without foreign aid. The country do not have sufficient resources and funds even to pay salaries to its government employees including defence personnel. However to overcome this precarious situation, the civilian government has to take some drastic steps ie reducing defence expenditure, streamline the collection of taxes and electricity bills, curtailing govt expenditures, boost to exports etc. In order to achieve the targets, a long term policy needs to be made with strict implementation of the same but no such policy has been announced so far which would make situation more difficult each passing day. More importantly, all major establishments and political parties need to be on the same page to improve law and order situation in the country rather than following the policy of self serving political gains.
Block NATO supplies until EU pays Pakistan $20 billion.
Please make sure that there will be no demand for COMMSSION by any stake holder/s in PAKISTAN.
Dear Mr. PM if suckers like you continue to rule then Pakistan has no future at all. Musharraf built the country while you destroyed it before and doing the same now. When will our people understand not to vote for the corrupt rulers.
Actually nobody pays more rent than the US.
The same way Europe has helped restored Greece, or Ireland's economy... what a blatantly stupid issuance...that kind of 'tactful assuagance' might work on soft Europeans, but it's a little simple for a free people...btw, I wonder how much of Pakistan's monetization is held by those venerable European Banks?
A true businessman who will only think about his business interests before anything else, will bend down in front of anyone anytime.
Hon PM Nawaz Sharif must come up with a better plan for the Economic management of the country. Shifting the begging bowl from the US to European Union is really not a good substitute. Who will want to provide Financial Aid to a country where militancy and extremism is spreading and the Government refuses to see the problem, leave aside tackle it. Why should Tax payers in other countries be generous when Pakistani citizens in Pakistan do not want to pay their Taxes ?
Poor PM!!! you are not capable to run country like Pakistan.