FAISALABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said the government would continue to make every effort for facilitating the business community to create employment in the country.
Addressing a ceremony in Faisalabad today, Prime Minister Imran Khan said the development of construction and small and medium scale industries is the top priority of the government.
He said, “We are currently working on how we can assist the businessmen of the country and investors so that jobs are created. So this cycle can only continue when we remove hurdles for the industrial class,” he added.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) was also undergoing reforms and was headed towards automation. “This is now an ongoing effort,” he said.
The PM said that the government has decided to implement a Local Government system in cities where a mayor will be appointed to address issues being face by public
Commenting on the development of cities, he said, “Faisalabad is a rich metropolis but it has to depend on funds from the Punjab government to fix roads and construct hospitals and colleges. Modern cities don’t run like this.”
So under the new local government system, each city will have its own election to appoint a mayor who will then choose a cabinet of experts to make it a self-sustaining city, he added.
“God willing, one day Manchester will say that Faisalabad has developed further than us,” he said, referencing a comment made earlier during the ceremony which had drawn a parallel between Faisalabad and the city in the United Kingdom.
PM Imran said that when the PTI came into power, it had inherited a profusion of issues, adding that the policies of previous governments had contributed to this.
“In the 60s, Pakistan was used as an example for the developing world. Malaysia and South Korea borrowed from our first five-year program,” he said, adding that the country and its institutions were also respected.
Though our downfall began when we shifted towards nationalization, he said. Under nationalization, our industry developed but the wealth was confined to 22 families, he added.
The premier also said that at the same time, a society can’t move forward if profit-making is dubbed a crime. “Investors don’t invest for welfare, they do it to make money. But do it in a legitimate manner and pay taxes.”
Commenting on the rise in coronavirus cases, PM Imran said that while the World Health Organisation had lauded the country’s efforts to combat the plague, the second wave was now rearing its head.
Imran Khan said that there is a fear onset of winter could result in the second wave of coronavirus if people do not follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) seriously.
There has been a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across the country. It has prompted the authorities to place several virus hotspots under micro smart lockdown for two weeks.
He said the government was concerned that hospitals in major cities would be full like in June if people didn’t follow the SOPs. PM Imran said the easiest safety precaution that everyone must take is to wear a face mask when out in public, which can help slow the spread of the virus.
