Can’t control dollar, exports will go up: minister

ISLAMABAD: State Minister for Finance Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan said Wednesday dollar could not be controlled as the market forces determined its value.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of Pakistan Leadership Conference conducted by ACCA here, he said the government could not interfere in dollar valuation, and advised all concerned to act responsibly in this regard. He was confident that exports would rise with dollar price hike.

He said there was no problem regarding external payments. He said that government was to make $3 billion external payment by June. He promised next budget would be people-friendly while the taxes would be raised only if needed.

He said that State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) had over $12b foreign exchange reserves. Besides, he added, several other things were also in pipeline.