GDP growth improved to 5.1 pct, Nawaz

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Friday said the country’s economy had improved as compared to last year with GDP growth raised from 2.9 to 5.1 percent.  

“We want to take GDP rate to 7 percent in next four years,” the Prime Minister said while talking to a group of parliamentarians from Sahiwal and Multan Divisions who called on him here.

He said the economy was better in 1991 during his first tenure of government and the country was at parity with the neighboring countries and even ahead in some aspects. 

“But lack of decisions on important projects has led us to the situation we are facing today,” he added.

The Prime Minister said the GSP plus would benefit many sectors including textiles and leather industry.

He said the decision of Asian Development Bank to invest in Jamshoro coal power plant will would pave way for investment in Gadani coal power project. 

He said with these projects, Pakistan would be able to achieve its energy targets within three to four years.

The Prime Minister said the newly launched Youth Business Loan Scheme would benefit around three million people in its first phase.

He rejected the impression that the inexperienced youth would waste the loan and said he had the belief that youth were responsible citizens and would utilize the loan in effective and efficient manner.

Nawaz Sharif said banks had been giving large loans to big industrialists. However there was a need to trust and invest in small and medium enterprises, he added. 

He said that the SMEs are the backbone of USA, Japan and Germany. 

He said the projects had proved that the promises made during election campaign, were being fulfilled. 

He said the issue of electricity shortage could not be resolved overnight and added that long-term and short-term plans had been made to overcome energy shortages.

On terrorism, the Prime Minister said the path of dialogue had been chosen according to the decision taken at All Parties Conference and expressed the hope that the dialogue would bear fruit. 

He said the operation in Karachi was being carried out successfully and added that necessary legislation had been enacted to bring the culprits before the law so that they could be held for their misdeeds.

The parliamentarians expressed confidence in the leadership of Nawaz Sharif and said the revolutionary steps taken by him would change the destiny of the country. 

They also discussed political matters relating to their constituencies.

Shiekh Aftab, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Captain ® Safdar, MNA, and Hamza Shahbaz, MNA also attended the meeting.