Govt committed to progress, development of country at fast pace: PM

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KARACHI, Sep 8 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Thursday reiterated his government’s commitment to progress and development of Pakistan at a fast pace and said the nation must question those who were trying to push the country back to ages of darkness.
He was addressing the awards distribution ceremony for the
companies that showed outstanding performance here at the Pakistan
Stock Exchange (PSX).
He said the Pakistan Stock Exchange has emerged among the top
ten best performing stock exchanges in the world. He said when his
government came into power. the stock exchange index was around
19,000 while now it has gone up to 41,000 points and reflects the
robust economy of the country.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the government revenues had
increased by 60 percent, while the foreign exchange reserves were
at their highest level due to the government’s successful economic
policies.
He said international financial institutions had repeatedly
pointed to the positive economic indicators, owing to the
political and economic stability.
Nawaz Sharif said his government was committed to ridding
the country of load shedding by the year 2018 and said today
the industrial units were getting electricity and natural gas.
He said efforts were afoot, not only to generate more
electricity, but also to lower its tariffs so as to make
its products more competitive in international markets.
The Prime Minister said country’s exports need to be
boosted and a number of measures were being taken in this
regard.
He said Pakistan Railways needs to be upgraded urgently
to facilitate the industrial and business consumers.
He said his government was working on a comprehensive
plan to enhance country’s air, road and rail network. He said
special measures have been taken to revive the national flag
carrier – Pakistan International Airlines, and to make it one
of the best in the world.
The Prime Minister said work on Lahore Karachi motorway
was going ahead at a fast pace, and announced that he would
soon lay the foundation stone of the Hyderabad-Sukkur motorway
soon.
He said work on other sections; Sukkur-Multan and
Multan-Lahore was going ahead at a fast pace.
He said inter-connecting roads were being built across
the country to help boost trade and business.
He recalled the nationalization process in the ’70s and
said it set back the country’s pace of progress. He said all
these units managed to earn profits once they were privatised.
Earlier, Chairman Pakistan Stock Exchange Munir Kamal
said it was Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s second visit at
the annual award ceremony in as many years and shows his
commitment to this vital sector.
He attributed the credit of award of Emerging Market
status, to Pakistan to the commitment and hard work of the
present government and said there has been a major positive
change in country’s stock markets since the PML-N government
came into power.
He termed establishment of PSX was a difficult task
and said international financial institutions were acknowledging
the country’s robust economic growth and positive indicators.
He said the 12th review of the International Monetary
Fund has successfully culminated and added the political
stability has helped strengthen investors’ confidence.
He said the country has made great success against terrorism
and said the CPEC would prove to be a game changer for the
entire region.
APP/ Hamza