Today’s Pakistan far better due to right priorities: Mamnoon

Meets Qatari ministers; seeks enhanced quota, relaxed visa regime for Pakistani labourers

DOHA: President Mamnoon Hussain on Sunday said with the economy gaining strength, terrorism subsided and energy crisis being effectively tackled, Pakistan had changed a lot over the last three and half years due to government’s right direction and priorities and was far better than past few years.

“Three and half years back Pakistan was facing the challenges of extremism, energy crisis and economic downslide which was a matter of concern not only for the international community but also for the people of our own country who were raising questions about the future of country.

“But I want to give you good news that due to right direction and untiring efforts over the last few years, a big change has occurred,” the president said, adding that the current situation was far better.

Addressing a gathering of the Pakistani community, Mamnoon said the law and order situation in tribal areas, Karachi and Balochistan had returned to normalcy to a large extent due to the actions being taken under the National Action Plan. The government was committed to continue with all actions, including the Operation Zarb-e-Azb, till the complete elimination of terrorism from the country, he added.

The president, who is in Doha on a four-day official visit at the invitation of Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, said with the boom being witnessed in trade activities, the revival of peace had also a positive impact on economy.

Pakistan was the only country in region that provided investment-friendly laws under which there was no bar on foreign investors for holding complete equity and transferring their profits abroad, he noted.

The president said he believed that there would be remarkable improvement in situation after the implementation of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) situation and the country was to attract historic investment in different fields.

Describing CPEC a revolutionary project, he said it would help Pakistan become a centre of international trade and improve standard of living.The president said the Pakistan-Qatar agreement on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) also played an important role in tackling energy crisis in the country.

Separately, Mamnoon urged the Qatari government to enhance quota for Pakistani labour and relax visa regime as his country could provide unskilled skilled and high professional manpower in various fields.

Talking to Qatari Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Special Affairs Dr Issa Saad Al-Nuaimi, he said Pakistan had a huge resource of manpower that could serve the future needs of Qatar.

The Qatari minister said his country was interested in hiring Pakistani professionals in the fields of medicines, nursing and engineering, adding that the process for Pakistani manpower would be expedited after devising a mechanism.

Qatari Minister of State for Defence Affairs Dr Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah also called on Mamnoon and discussed the prospects of defence cooperation between the two countries.

During the meeting, Dr Khalid expressed his country’s desire to purchase defence equipment and hardware from Pakistan and said Qatar was keen to have joint ventures with Pakistan in the area of defence production.

Earlier, the president urged the Pakistani youth at home and abroad to equip themselves with the latest knowledge and fast-evolving technologies as their positive use could help achieve individual and collective progress.

During a visit to the Pakistan Education Centre (PEC), he also called upon the Pakistani students to adopt positive approach and thinking about the world and follow moral and spiritual values.

The president said Pakistan, which was facing bad governance during the previous regimes, had improved fiscal and financial performance during the last over three and a half years – a fact also being recognised by international institutions.

Giving the example of bad governance, he said Pakistan’s total debt, which was Rs 6,700 billion in 2008, reached Rs 14,800 billion in 2013. With no spending on major infrastructure and development projects how the debt registered such a huge jump, he questioned.

The president said a landmark China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was an excellent opportunity for Pakistan’s development progress and prosperity. The CPEC would cover all the four provinces as well as Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir and create thousands of job opportunities.

During his stay, Mamnoon interacted with the students and visited a few classrooms and library.PEC established in Doha in 1985 IS providing quality education to the students of 27 countries, with most of them belonging to Pakistani community.