ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan stated on Wednesday that economic activity will continue despite the new COVID-19 wave.
The Prime Minister, speaking at the inauguration of the National Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Policy, expressed sadness that no administration had ever cared about incentives and facilities for this sector in the past.
The incumbent administration placed a high value on the SME sector as the largest source of job generation and wealth creation.
The Prime Minister stated that the country’s SME growth should be boosted as another important engine of GDP growth.
The administration was putting a specific emphasis on the development of large cities as the true engines of growth for the national economy. The prime minister made these remarks while presiding over a meeting on large-city planning. The premier urged the authorities in charge to take all necessary steps to expedite the completion of different development plans in major cities in order to bring maximum assistance to people.
Information Minister Ch Fawad Hussain, Industries Minister Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, and Planning Minister Asad Umar all attended the meeting. Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, and Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar all joined the meeting via video link.
“As a result of rural-to-urban migration, cities face a number of issues, including a lack of housing, job prospects, and civic facilities.” “Work on special development packages for major cities must be hastened,” the PM remarked during the meeting.
He also instructed the authorities to work closely together and undertake a coordinated effort to boost and develop major cities like as Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, and Gujranwala.
Furthermore, Prime Minister Imran Khan stated that the government has resolved to take stern action against anyone who creates obstacles for any firm in the export, agricultural, industrial, or service industry sectors. He warned that anybody placed a stumbling block in the way of the export department would face severe consequences. Singapore’s exports are more than Pakistan’s; Singapore’s exports are over $300 billion; Malaysia has also surpassed us; Pakistan was fast expanding in 1960; Pakistan began to decline as a result of poor judgments.
It cannot be that just 2 million individuals pay taxes out of a population of 220 million. He went on to say that after we were saved by COVID-19, the country saw a surge of inflation. Despite Corona, the country recorded a record export, remittance, and tax collection.
Despite COVID-19, the government collected 8000 billion in taxes; today, 6000 billion in taxes have been collected. Wheat, sugar, maize, and rice output have all reached new highs, indicating that worldwide inflation has risen.
Motorcycles, automobiles, and mobile phones were sold for the first time in history. He went on to say that while there are challenges, the next days would be better for the country.
