Businessmen being given incentives to boost exports: Razak Dawood

LAHORE: PM’s Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood said the government is vigorously following a prudent policy to boost export and minimise import for the economic stability through offering lucrative package of incentives to industrialists and businessmen.

He said this Friday while talking to a high-level delegation of United Business Group led by Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Iftikhar Ali Malik. Razak Dawood said the government is working on short and long term policies simultaneously to boost economy besides accelerating the pace of industrialisation on top priority.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan always attached great importance to private sector and directed to address business community’s problems. Other members of the delegation included SM Muneer, Khalid Tawab, Zubair Tufail, Sohail Altaf, Zafar Bakhtawari, Malik Sohail Hussain, Waqar Ahmad Mian and Rehmatullah Javed. The adviser was of the opinion that due to business-friendly policies of the government, Pakistan has climbed 28 points on the World Bank’s ease of doing business index that has given an encouraging signal to the investors from abroad. He said Japan, Vietnam and South Korea as well as the other Pacific and South East Asian markets would also be connected as the government would negotiate with these countries for promotion of trade.

He assured the delegation that all their viable proposals and legitimate demands will be given due weightage in policy making process and necessary directions will be issued to quarters concerned for their solution. Federal secretary commerce was also present on the occasion. About the completion of the state-of-the-art 10-storey building of Saarc chamber head office in Islamabad, the adviser said necessary funds will be allocated shortly in this connection to meet their needs. UBG’s patron-in-chief SM Muneer and former TDAP chief executive thanked the adviser for giving patient hearing to their proposals and demands and termed the meeting result- oriented which will help a lot to restore the confidence of business community especially exporters and foreign and local investors. Zubair Tufail also assured the adviser that the business community would provide its full support to the government towards implementing its reform agenda and overcoming the current economic challenges in the wake of global pandemic.