PM Imran urges business community to help government achieve economic targets

KARACHI: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said the government was fully facilitating the business community, as it wanted to end poverty and accelerate the economic process in the country.

He said the country's economy could not be run on the previous pattern and called upon the business community to help the government in achieving its economic objectives.

The prime minister was talking to delegations of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Karachi Chambers of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), and the Automotive Parts Association, who called on him here in Karachi.

Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Karachi earlier today along with his economic team on a daylong visit. Governor Sindh Imran Ismail, Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Zaidi, Federal Minister Hammad Azhar, Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda, Advisor on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Advisor on Finance Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Advisor on Institutional Reforms Ishrat Hussain, Board of Investment Chairman Syed Zubair Haider Gilani, Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Shabbar Zaidi, and State Bank Governor Reza Baqir accompanied the prime minister.

Businessmen present tax reform, price control recommendations

Speaking to the delegations, the prime minister said he had arrived in Karachi to address their issues and find immediate solutions to them.

The FPCCI delegation included SM Munir, Daru Khan Achakzai, Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Ghazanfar Bilour, Zubair Tufail, Tariq Haleem, Khalid Tawab and Syed Mazhar Ali Nasir whereas the KCCI delegation consisted of Siraj Qasim Teli, Junaid Ismail Makda, Khurram Shahzad, Zubair Motiwala, Haroon Farooqi, Anjum Nisar, Haroon Aagar, Shamim Ahmed Firpu, and Ali GG.

The delegation from the Automotive Parts Association comprised representatives of Toyota Indus Motors, Pak Suzuki Motors, Hino Pak Motors, Isuzu Motors, Master Motors, Atlas Honda Motors, and Faw Motors.

During the meeting, the delegations presented their recommendations over tax system reforms, price hike control, and control over smuggling, ease of doing business, investment promotion, employment opportunities and revenue generation.

The prime minister also met a delegation of businesspersons from the textile industry where he appreciated the contribution to the national economy made by the textile sector.

Speaking to a delegation of the Pakistan Textile Weavers and Manufacturers Association comprising Zahid Mazhar, Zain Bashir, Faud Anwar, Umer Haji Karim and Tariq Saud, he said the government was doing its best to create an enabling environment for industrialists.

He said the government was fully cognizant of the issues faced by the textile manufacturers and would help them brave these challenges.

A pragmatic approach is being adopted to streamline the textile sector along with that of hosiery and other associated zones, including towel and leather goods and garments, he added.

Later, the prime minister also met representatives of the hosiery sector, comprising Javaid Balwani, Umair Ghulam Mohammad, Altaf Hussain and Bashir Ghaffar. The delegation of towel manufacturers, that called on the prime minister, included Farrukh Maqbool, Moin Razzaq, Khalid Iqbal and Mehabuddin Chawla. Kamran Habib and Shaikh Mohammad Imran represented the leather sector.

Each of the delegations apprised the prime minister of their problems and appreciated him for taking deep interest in addressing them well as reflected from the presence of his economic team, including the minister and advisors concerned as well as the Federal Bureau of Revenue chairman.

During his daylong visit to Karachi, the prime minister was also expected to be briefed on the ongoing development project in Karachi in a meeting at the Governor House, where he will also meet party leaders and members of the provincial assembly.