ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan says the PTI government has inheriteda huge burden of current account and fiscal deficits and we are working ondifferent fronts to get out of this financial crunch.
He was speaking during question answer session at the three-day FutureInvestment Initiative Conference which began in Riyadh on Tuesday.
The Prime Minister said that his government is approaching the IMF and thefriendly countries to seek loans to plug this financial gap.
He said that the government is also endeavoring to reform our institutionsto check the menace of corruption in mega development projects and whitecollar crimes.
Imran Khan said the government is also going to provide enablingenvironment for doing business in Pakistan to attract the foreign investorsparticularly the overseas Pakistanis to invest in various projects in thecountry.
The Prime Minister said the government will provide incentives to overseasPakistanis to send their remittances through banking channels to enhanceour foreign exchange reserves and check money laundering.
To a question, Imran Khan said his government is focusing on creating jobsfor our youth who form the one hundred million population of our country toharness their talent.
He said for this purpose an ambitious plan of constructing five millionhouses has already been launched to provide affordable shelter to the poorsegments of the society.
Replying to a question about Pak China relations and the CPEC, the PrimeMinister said Pakistan admires the Chinese leadership’s measures to bringout seven hundred million population out of poverty and convicting overfour hundred corrupt elements to purge their society of corruption andcrimes.
He said CPEC is a flagship project under Belt and Road initiative ofPresident Xi Jinping and it would help the entire landscape in the regionthrough greater connectivity and development projects. He said the CPECwould open up road and sea routes for Pakistan through Gwadar, Central Asiaand the Middle East.
Imran Khan said Pakistan is going to set up special economic zones alongthe CPEC routes to generate economic activity and employment for our people.
The Prime Minister particularly highlighted the investment opportunities inPakistan in the minerals including coal, copper, zinc, oil and gas andreligious tourism.
Responding to a question about terrorism, Prime Minister Imran Khan saidPakistan has achieved great successes in the fight against terrorism due tounprecedented sacrifices in human and material. He said that Pakistan needsa lasting peace and stability to provide an enabling environment to thelocal and foreign investors in different projects in the country.
He said we also want peace with all our neighbors particularly India andAfghanistan for regional peace and stability. Imran Khan said peace withIndia would help the two countries to divert their resources towards humandevelopment instead of indulging in arms race.
He said similarly peace in Afghanistan would help Pakistan to have an easyaccess to the Central Asian States for bilateral economic and tradeactivities.