ISLAMABAD: Alibaba Group President Michael Evens has said that he is confident that its e-platform will provide a stimulus for growth of small and medium enterprises in Pakistan.

In a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday, Mr Evens said that he was impressed to see how the use of information technology and telecommunications had grown in Pakistan, which provided the vital base for expansion of e-commerce in the country.

He thanked Mr Sharif for inviting him to Pakistan.

The premier informed Mr Evens that Pakistan has achieved economic stability over the last three years and is now among the fastest growing economies of the region.

Mr Sharif said security situation had improved significantly and the industry was being provided uninterrupted power supply.

He pointed to the unprecedented development of infrastructure along with a revolutionary expansion in information technology and telecommunications.

The prime minister said the government was focused on institutional reforms, achieving good governance and rationalising the taxation structure.

The prime minister recalled his discussions with Alibaba Group Executive Chairman Jack Ma on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum at Davos earlier this year regarding the opportunities for the group to establish an e-platform in Pakistan.

Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan, IT Minister Anusha Rehman and BoI Chairman Miftah Ismail, were also present during the meeting.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2017