Lahore, May 31, 2022 (PPI-OT):A delegation led by President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industries Irfan Iqbal Sheikh called on Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz and congratulated him on elevation as chief minister. They also presented proposals for resolving the business community’s problems.

The CM said that he is talking to them as a Pakistani, and not as a politician, today, as Pakistan is facing myriad challenges and we have to get rid of economic difficulties with collective efforts. We have to think about Pakistan as usual politics would continue, he maintained.

For the sake of Pakistan, we have to listen to each other, patiently, and collective decisions must strengthen the economy while turning challenges into opportunities. We have to move forward by correcting past mistakes, he said.

In 2018, when the PML-N relinquished the reins of the government, the growth rate was 6% and CPEC and other projects were moving fast. There was zero load-shedding in the country; he mentioned and pointed out that the PMLN-led government executed more than 10,000 MW power projects.

The past government made wrong economic decisions from the beginning, for 6 months, it was not decided whether to go to the IMF or not, he regretfully remarked. Due to delays in decisions, the rupee devalued by 40%, he noted.

The former government borrowed that much amount of loan that was not taken in the 74 years of history of the country as it borrowed 80 % of the country’s total loans, he said. In the previous era, no power projects were implemented and load shedding resulted due to fuel shortage and non-maintenance of the power plants.

In the previous era, the corruption index increased from 116 to 146, he noted. Lakhs of people lost their jobs due to the closure of industries. The incumbent government is with the business community and problems would be resolved, he assured. We will do our best to resolve the legitimate issues. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif would also meet you soon, he added.

I make decisions not as a politician but as a Pakistani. He said the government has reduced the price of a 10-kg bag of flour by Rs.160 to provide relief to the people. Strict decisions have been taken but these decisions have been made for Pakistan.

The suggestions of the business community have been noted and consultations will continue, concluded the CM. Ahsan Iqbal said that the former government has not started a single new project. It destroyed the economy and emptied the coffers. The private sector has to come forward to take the economy forward, he said. Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan MPA, federal finance secretary, secretary industries Punjab and others were also present.

For more information, contact:
Office of the Chief Minister of Punjab
Government of the Punjab
8-Club Road, GOR-I, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-99205562-3
Fax: +92-42-99205561
Website: https://cm.punjab.gov.pk/