Amidst addressing the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, the government has prepared a roadmap for the revival of major industries, it seems. As a first phase, the construction industry has been given an incentivized package, and a Construction Industry Development Board was to be constituted to spur the construction activities. Also, a Chinese team was recently in Pakistan conducting due diligence for the Pakistan Steel Mills at Karachi, which has been closed since long and now is offered for divestment.
Sadly, two months have passed and still there is no headway in this direction. The Construction Industry Development Board has not yet been formed. Likewise, there is no progress on reviving other major industries including steel-making. The slow decision-making on the part of the government is largely impacting industrial activities countrywide, and, resultantly, economic regression continues. The situation demands that the government embark on its plans expeditiously to revive industrial activities in real earnest. Indeed, time is of the essence.
Hussain Siddiqui
Islamabad