ISLAMABAD (National Times) Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday set a target of $60 billion per annum of country’s exports for next three years.
Chairing a meeting of the National Export Development Board here, he said the Ministry of Commerce should finalise the policy proposals in this regard in collaboration with the sectors having export potential.
He stressed the need for research and development, innovation, and brand development to make Pakistani products unique and enhance exports.
Premier Shehbaz directed the Ministry of Power to present a comprehensive plan to reduce the power tariff for industries.
The prime minister also directed the trade officers in Pakistani embassies across the world to play their role in the promotion of exports.
The prime minister recalled the exports remained $30 billion in the outgoing fiscal year. He said IT exports exceeded $3.2 billion due to government’s policies, terming it a welcome development.
He said the problems identified by the exporters should be solved and a report be submitted to him in the next two weeks.
Highlighting the significance of the private sector in the development of any country, he said it should be made part of policy formulation process to solve their problems.
The prime minister said the Ministry of National Food Security should work with provinces for bringing improvement in extension services in order to increase agricultural exports.
He said efforts should be accelerated to introduce varieties of high-yielding seeds.
Premier Shehbaz called for reducing the delivery time of Pakistani goods to Europe and America by immediately solving the problems related to the shipping.
He said the Ministry of Commerce should ensure cooperation with the Investment Board for the transfer of Chinese export industries to Pakistan.
The prime minister said any kind of delay in the refund of exporters would not be tolerated.
The participants in the meeting said the prime minister’s special interest in the export sector was encouraging for industrialists.
The exporters were also appreciative of the prime minister’s initiative to provide timely refunds to the export industry.
