FM lauds European parliamentarians for efforts to ensure GSP Plus facility
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Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, terming peace imperative to pursue development agenda in the region has said Pakistan is focusing on economic diplomacy to address the challenges of contemporary world.
Addressing at the inaugural session of "Leaders in Islamabad Business Summit", he said peace in Afghanistan is important to realize the dream of progress and prosperity in the region, for which Pakistan is making persistent efforts and contribution.
The Foreign Minister said in view of ensuring peace, Pakistan always emphasized on holding dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi said setting up Special Economic Zones under CPEC will encourage investment in Pakistan, leading to sustainable development and economic stability.
He said entering into 20 billion dollars development projects with Saudi Arabia is another milestone for the country towards achieving economic stability.
The Foreign Minister said Pakistan is ready to introduce a new visa regime to promote tourism and culture besides projecting Pakistan's peaceful image abroad.
He assured that despite challenges, the government is committed to making Pakistan a better place to live.
Foreign Minister expressed gratitude to European Union and European Parliament for their support to Pakistan in securing GSP Plus facility for its exports.
He said EU's High Representative on Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini will arrive in Islamabad on 26th of the current month and several accords on Pak-EU strategic cooperation will be signed on the occasion.
Meanwhile, addressing a two-day Business Summit", Minister for Finance Asad Umar said it will eventually improve functional efficiency of all national institutions to attain sustainable long-term economic development in the country.
Asad Umar said government is working on restructuring of fundamentals of economy and strengthening the regulatory regimes by putting the best professionals of the country as well as overseas Pakistanis on their policy boards.
The Minister said the government had formed a five-member committee to select best professionals in a transparent manner to improve the working efficiencies of government organizations.
He said regulatory regime has been strengthened as best professionals of the field were taken on the policy board of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan.
He said in order to promote the friendly tax culture and facilitating the tax-payers, for the first time members from the private sector had been included in the policy board of FBR.
Besides, he said that the government had also appointed overseas Pakistanis as heads of different national organization including National Bank of Pakistan, Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited, NIT and other national institutions on merit without any political consideration.
Asad Umar said that small and medium sector enterprises were facing access-to-credit issues and government was taking steps to address these problems by facilitating the supply and ensuring the provision of easy loans.
APP
