LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday stressed the need for initiating a grand dialogue by all the stakeholders over vital sectors of the economy to move ahead on the path of progress and prosperity.
Addressing an inauguration ceremony of 600-bed Indus Hospital in Lahore, the prime minister said that nations were not formed on the basis of construction of magnificent buildings, but hard work, integrity and sacrifices coupled with use of latest knowledge and technology always evolved them.
He said that a consensus should be developed over the national economy in such a manner that it should not be disturbed with change of governments. He opined that there were certain sectors of the economy like IT and industrialization through which the country could move ahead.
The prime minister underlined that they should think above themselves and their personal likes and dislikes and accord top priority to the progress and prosperity of the nation.
The prime minister maintained that a country could not survive on debts. He regretted that Pakistan should have been at the forefront of the Islamic world in terms of progress and development
Comparing Pakistan’s export volume with neighbouring Bangladesh, he said its annual exports now touched $40 billion mark while Pakistan had an export value of $27-28 billion annually.
Two months’ rule
The prime minister referring to the global economic meltdown said that they had increased the petroleum prices with a heavy heart. He also termed the previous government’s decision of decreasing petroleum prices in the month of March as a ploy as they had not extended any kind of relief to the masses during their rule.
The prime minister further assured that they would try their best to provide relief to the poor and said that the government was looking to ease out impacts of price hike by extending financial relief to over 70 million people. He stressed that they had to stand on their feet with sheer qualities of hard work, sacrifices, unity and proper planning.
About load-shedding, the prime minister said that he had chaired an emergency meeting and directed for a mechanism to decrease its duration. There should be no more than two hours of load-shedding, he added.
He also hinted to announce further austerity measures shortly in the face of economic challenges. The prime minister said that he was ready to be held accountable for his two and half months of rule but what about the previous rulers who had governed the country in the last three and half years.
He expressed the optimism that with unity and hard work, the country would rise to the horizon and no one would be able to match its speed.
