Shehbaz, Miftah discuss public relief steps

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told Senior Vice President of Huawei, President of Middle East & Africa Region of Huawei Yi Xiang that Pakistan offers huge opportunities for investment in the technology sector.

“The foreign tech companies would be facilitated in all respects with regard to investment and expansion,” he told the visiting official, here on Friday.

The PM said the current government intended to increase the IT exports of Pakistan from US$1.5 billion to US$15 billion in the coming years and for that, close collaboration with Huawei would result in provision of training to the youth of Pakistan through various means including setting up a university.

He said investment in the tech sector would increase employment and skills enhancement of Pakistani youth, especially women as the government was focused to increase the number of women in the e-commerce sector by providing them with suitable environment to get themselves trained and raise capital.

He also emphasised the need to expedite the process of strategising collaborative efforts within a week and highlighted the government's willingness to not leave any stone unturned to achieve the said objectives. The PM expressed satisfaction over Huawei’s long association with Pakistan and investment in the telecom sector.

Yi Xiang thanked the prime minister and expressed interest in expanding Huawei's footprint in Pakistan. Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah, Charge d’ Affairs China Embassy Ms Pang Chunxue were also present.

APP adds: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Friday held a meeting with Minister for Finance Miftah Ismail and discussed measures for providing relief to people. He expressed his satisfaction that the price of sugar had reduced after three years, which brought relief to people. He issued direction to provide cash credit to Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) for buying of wheat. The secretary finance was also present.

Also, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Shangla on Saturday (today) where he will address a public gathering in the Besham area. Preparations are under way for the public meeting, which is being held as part of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s mass contact campaign.

Talking to PTV, Advisor to Prime Minister Engineer Ameer Muqam, who also hails from the area, said the people of Shangla were looking forward to seeing their prime minister, who had earned a repute of a hardworking politician. He said as the PML-N’s mass contact campaign was going on, another public gathering would be held in Swabi on May 11, where the prime minister would also address people.