‘Inclusivity must to create 10mln jobs’

ISLAMABAD: SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Senior Vice President Iftikhar Ali Malik on Thursday urged the government to focus on inclusive and productivity-oriented growth to generate 10 million jobs, promised by the prime minister, to help end the inherited financial crisis.

Talking to traders’ delegation led by Malik Suhail Hussain, chairman, Co-ordination Committee, FPCCI, he said generating salaried jobs would require the dual approach of building an investment environment and skills. This was only possible through public and private entrepreneurship.

He said for this purpose, the PTI-led government should take concrete measures on war footing to upgrade human capital base, overhaul public education system, and encourage women in the workforce.

“Apart from that we are also putting special emphasis on youth development and will explore all the avenues, including the opportunities under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor that offers for public-private partnerships and employment generation,” he said in a statement.

Malik further said it was very important for Pakistan to reduce its population growth to 1.52 from 2.4 for significant improvement and economic growth.

He also sought for evidence-based decision-making in this regard.

He said all developed countries follow guidelines by the business community for launching economic and business policies, and hoped the PTI government would also adopt a rational and pragmatic approach in this regard.

The SAARC CCI senior vice president also appreciated Prime Minister Imran Khan for adopting a friendly approach towards neighbouring countries and opening the Kartarpur corridor, as a warm and friendly gesture of the present regime.

He also urged India to adopt a similar approach to permanently solve bilateral issues. He said Pakistan should think strategically, not emotionally, on trade issues and create competition on items being imported from other countries, especially from China.