ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday stressed the need to enhance inter-ministerial coordination and public-private partnership to increase the country’s exports.
The prime minister issued these orders while chairing a meeting of the Apex Committee on Economic Outreach (ACEO) in the federal capital.
The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Muhammad Hammad Azhar, Senator Shibli Faraz, Syed Fakhar Imam, Fawad Ahmed, Advisor to PM Abdul Razaq Dawood, State Bank Governor Dr Reza Baqir, Special Assistants to the Prime Minister (SAPMs) Dr Moeed Yusuf, Dr Faisal Sultan and other senior officers.
The chief secretaries of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) participated through video-link.
SAPM Yousuf briefed the meeting that an extensive mapping exercise regarding the export potential of goods and services has been carried out in consultation with relevant government ministries, provinces and the private sector.
He said that the industries of information technology, textiles, agriculture, meat, leather, pottery and ceramics, machinery and auto parts, metals and surgical instruments possess an additional export potential of $31 billion.
He further said that a multiplier effect of an additional $2 billion can be achieved from medical tourism, religious tourism, transport services, manpower, pharmaceuticals, marble and granite, and salt products. He apprised the committee that there is also the potential of additional exports worth $16.7 billion to United Arab Emirates, United States, China, Germany, UK, France, Indonesia, Spain, Algeria and Malaysia.
The SAPM on national security presented an overview for human resource allocation, key performance indicators for foreign missions of Pakistan, human resource training and strengthening of ministerial structures.
PM Imran stated that the main objective of this apex committee is to chalk out a long term plan for import substitution and increasing exports so that Pakistan becomes self-reliant.
The premier underscored that the best international practices need to be adopted for priority sectors and consultations with international experts is essential for achieving success.
It was decided that the Ministry of Commerce will furnish an action plan with timelines in one week time and will update the prime minister on weekly basis regarding progress made on priority sectors.
