Ahsan Iqbal terms education, enterprises and exports key for reviving economy

DNA

Islamabad: The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) in collaboration with National Press Club (NPC) organized an “All Parties Conference for Revival of Economy”. Ahsan Iqbal Federal Minister for Planning & Development, Miftah Ismail Federal Minister for Finance, Qamar Zaman Kaira Advisor to Prime Minister on Kashmir Affairs & Gilgit Baltistan, Shazia Marri Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation & Social Safety, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri of JUI(F), Himayat Ullah Mayar of ANP, Mian Muhmmad Aslam, Jamaat e Islami, Presidents of Karachi, Quetta, Faisalabad and Islamabad Women Chamber Chambers of Commerce and a large number of business attended the Conference.

Addressing the Conference, Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Planning & Development appreciated ICCI for organizing APC and termed three Es, education, enterprises and exports as key for reviving Pakistan’s economy. He said that all political parties should agree on a common agenda to turn around the economy of Pakistan.

Miftah Ismail, Federal Minister for Finance said that diverting domestic manufacturing to exports, improving agricultural productivity, providing education to the out of school children, focus on science & technology and living within our own means was very important to revive the economy.

Qamar Zaman Kaira, Advisor to PM on Kashmir Affairs & Gilgit Baltistan said that improving agro productivity, encouraging investment in productive sectors, promoting industrial exports and enhancing manpower exports should be the way forward to revive the economy.  

Shazia Marri, Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation said that the GDP of Pakistan could be increased by 30% by enhancing the share of women in labor force equal to the men and 25% participation of women in labor force would enhance the GDP of Pakistan by 9%,

Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said that the country should adopt the economic model of the Prophet (PBUH) and Khulafa-e-Rashdeen to revive the economy. Himayat Ullah Mayar of ANP said that resolving issues like poverty, unemployment, local & foreign debts., terrorism, political tensions should be addressed to revive the economy.

Muhammad Shakeel Munir, President ICCI welcomed the representatives of all political parties and said that the purpose of organizing APC was to bring all stakeholders at one platform to develop a future roadmap with consensus for reviving the economy.

Khalid Iqbal Malik Chairman Founder Group, Zubair Ahmed Malik former President ICCI, Zubair Motiwalla former President Karachi Chamber of Commerce, Presidents of Karachi, Faisalabad, Quetta Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Naima Ansari President Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce, Haji Ghulam Ali former President FPCCI, Umar Khan Vice President FPCCI, and others also spoke at the occasion and gave useful suggestions for reviving the economy.