ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf central leader Jahangir Tareen Monday said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), after forming the federal government, would have to take extraordinary steps to bail out Pakistan from the current economic crunch.
Talking to the Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC) Chief Executive Mian Kashif Ashfaq, Jahangir Tareen said in a first development, the newly elected government would go for the bailout package to improve its reserves.
After addressing these issues, the government will switch over for restoring the competitiveness of the economy that needs 20-25 years and badly required improving the skill of the workforce and educating the people, said a press release issued by PFC.
He said PTI should improve the tax policy, which should encourage forming new industrial units in the country. He said that Jehangir Tareen categorically told that all existing board of directors of all autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies will be restructured with best of the best world class technocrats to make them result-oriented entities.
Jahangir appreciating role of PFC for the promotion of local furniture industry gave assurance to its chief Mian Kashif of all government support for the promotion of furniture sector.
He said, “Pakistan is blessed with abundant resources and our people are equipped with the best skills that can help develop the country on modern lines.”He said skilled craftsmen can create unique pieces while large-scale factories can produce many identical units – in both cases adding to the employment. “I am delighted to support the Pakistan Furniture Council, a body committed to promoting Pakistani skill and craftsmanship, as well as creating international linkages to encourage trade,” he remarked.
He also said their government would appoint honest, hardworking and very well experienced persons in all the government, semi-government and autonomous departments to revive the economy of the country.
He said they would revamp Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to give push to local industry besides making it possible that all funds would be used to promote Pakistan- handmade world class furniture items in international markets.
Mian Kashif Ashfaq congratulating him for victory in general elections said he is much optimistic that PTI government would utilise all available resources to promote furniture sector in Pakistan. He said this sector is badly neglected by the previous governments and due to the apathy of the concerned authority.
He said we need policies to protect the furniture sector so that we can grow in the correct manner. We currently cannot compete with the Chinese market because of their prices which is largely due to the availability of skilled labour.
“China, for instance, has over a thousand technical schools, and enroll at least eleven million people with the support of their government to ensure they set up programs that will support the local industry,” he added. He stressed the need for the government and the Pakistani people to increase their patronage of furniture products made by local industry.
PFC Chief said that if the required support was given to manufacturers and brands to reach out to the international market, Pakistan’s industry would contribute to the economy and furniture products would be considered leaders in the international market.
Senator Muhammad Sarwar, Asim Nazir, MNA elect, Ch Muhammad Ashfaq, PTI Central Vice President and PFC Secretary Aqul Sardar were also present on the occasion.
