PM Shehbaz Consults Business Leaders on Export Growth

“Whatever growth we have to achieve, it has to be export-led growth, period,” the premier remarked while addressing a meeting with prominent leaders of the business community.

He added that any other kind of growth had “no meaning” and reinforced that economic growth had to be export-led.

“Today’s meeting is because we’re in the first quarter, in the month of September. I need your opinions on how to increase our exports, as well as what challenges we will face and how to address them,” PM Shehbaz said.

The prime minister gave the example of special tax relief to exporters as a means to achieve this growth.

He recalled that in the run-up to the federal budget presented in June this year, the government held multiple meetings and had “intense consultations” with the business community.

“Through your consultations in difficult times, the way we brought structural changes over the past two-and-a-half years … it’s teamwork. It’s a tremendous teamwork,” PM Shehbaz said.

“As a result, we made overdue structural reforms. It’s a long journey, but through enforcement we recovered Rs800 billion in one year. No new taxes were imposed.”

PM Shehbaz praised the teamwork involved between the business community and the government, adding that Pakistan was ready to pursue growth with their input.