Karachi operation will be accomplished at all costs: PM Nawaz

Prime minister urges business community to help increase country’s exports and revenues

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced on Friday that the Karachi operation will be completed at all costs and government will bring the perpetrators of terror to their logical end.

“We started the Karachi operation with great determination and there will be no let-up in this operation,” the premier said, while addressing the media following his meeting with the heads of chambers of commerce, representatives of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association and exporter groups at the PM House.

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The prime minister said the nation is fighting a decisive war against terrorism across the country. “Terrorists are carrying out cowardly acts by attacking media and police personnel in Karachi in their last attempts to keep themselves alive,” PM Nawaz said.

The prime minister said terrorists have become weak and situation in Karachi has significantly improved since the operation. “Karachi will become peaceful within next two years as terrorists are being neutralised.”

Further, the prime minister lauded the sacrifices of the nation and the army in fighting against terror. “We will never forget the APS Peshawar tragedy,” he said, insisting that the spirit to fight terror should remain alive among the people.

The prime minister reiterated the government’s stance that it took all the political parties on-board before taking any major decisions, including that of Karachi operation.

“In order to defeat terror, we prepared a National Action Plan (NAP) and got the constitutional amendments done through assemblies.”

PM Nawaz said the government was working on mega development projects in the country in order to steer it out of the current situation.

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“We want to include Pakistan into the list of progressed countries,” the prime minister said, adding that the energy crisis will end very soon.

“You will see a marked improvement in the electricity and gas supply within the next two years,” he added.

PM calls for increase in country’s exports, revenues

Earlier, PM Nawaz called for an increase in the country’s exports and revenues by exploring new areas to meet the goals of development, Radio Pakistan reported.

“No country can make progress without enhancing its revenues besides we can only pay off our debts by increasing our resources,” the premier said during his meeting with the business community.

“Our exports have not witnessed any growth over the past few years while other economies in South Asia have made remarkable progress,” PM Nawaz regretted.

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Further, the prime minister sought valuable inputs from the business community to resolve the problem of stagnant growth in the country’s exports.

Nawaz informed the traders that the government wants to address problems being faced by the country’s business community.

“The government is also aware of the problems of agriculture sector caused by the sudden fall in prices of commodities in Pakistan as well as in the international markets,” he said, adding that the government is paying attention to address the issues of the farmers.

The prime minister pointed out that the resources were required to provide subsidies and compensation to the people, highlighting the importance of exploring new avenues of revenues in order to generate sufficient resources.

PM Nawaz stressed the need of return from the sectors getting subsidies from the government and discussed issues relating to taxes and energy crisis with the business community.

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Earlier, the members of the delegation gave suggestions for bringing competitiveness in the products in order to enhance the country’s exports.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif and other high ranking officials were present during the meeting.