'Work with the government as partners,' PM Imran tells business community in Karachi
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday sought to allay the concerns of the business community regarding the government's economic policies, saying it was his priority to resolve their issues.
The premier after arriving in Karachi on a day-long visit was talking to a delegation comprising representatives of the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Automotive Parts Association.
"The government wants to facilitate you," the official PTI Twitter account quoted the Prime Minister Imran as telling members of the delegation. He said the primary objective of his visit to the metropolis was to address the issues faced by the business community and that his entire economic team was present here to find quick solutions to their problems.
"Pakistan's economy can no longer be run according to the old methodology," he said.
The prime minister said it was his foremost priority to alleviate poverty and accelerate economic activity, for which he sought the help of the business leaders.
"The business community should work with the government as partners," the premier was quoted as saying.
The delegation during the meeting presented various proposals pertaining to reforms in the tax system, revenue enhancement, curbing inflation and smuggling, ease of doing business, promotion of investment and generation of job opportunities, Radio Pakistan reported.
Present on the occasion were Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi, Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda, Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar, Adviser on Commerce Razak Dawood, Adviser on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Adviser on Institutional Reforms Dr Ishrat Hussain, Chairman FBR Shabbar Zaidi, Chairman Board of Investment Syed Zubair Haider Gilani and Governor State Bank of Pakistan Reza Baqir.
Comments (25) Closed
The business community is already hands in gloves with the concerned departments to promote lower costs of the imported and manufactured goods to increase their own profits. The government can take a back seat and observe these two classes flourish at costs to themselves.
Partners in what? Crime???
You are screwing local businesses and opening doors wide for China.
PTI govt. have imposed 42 new taxes through mini budgets and annual budget.
The entire business of Pakistan have almost come to a stand still. Money is not changing hands when I spoke to a person selling Bun Kababs or a big industrialist.
The only tax which govt. has not imposed is while one inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide as the air is free.
The water also used to be free in the country before it got contaminated. Now one has to purchase mineral water to drink to remain alive.
Here's a novel idea - encourage participation of every average citizen in the growth of the economy by making is easy for entry and exit into every single market - no barriers to entry or exit! No licenses, quotas, permits, etc. No monopolistic or oligopolistic activities permitted. Serious oversight to ensure that there is a totally level playing field. Provide access to capital, resources, no threats to new entrants from existing players, no predatory behavior from existing businesses allowed.
This man does opposite what he says
And what is this old methodology, may I ask? Government must provide incentives for businesses to be setup for export for value added goods, businesses to invest in R&D to develop and manufacture differentiated products than to just focus on commodities like cotton, rice, fruit, etc. that can make individual businessmen rich, but don't provide jobs to educated people.
@Taher, local businesses? all they do is import goods from China!
Until the macro conditions in the country get stable, there is nothing the business community can do to increase revenue. Start with giving the city autonomy, like every other major city in the world. Why are Federal rangers patrolling this vast metropolis? Why does Karachi not have its own capable and self funded Police force, like every other city in the world. In the US, even towns as small as 1,000 people have their own police, schools, sanitation, taxes, laws, legislatures and services.
Become partners and slaughter the salaried class!
The government is clueless about everything. Business needs an incentive to function which the government seems determined to end. If the government really wants to end poverty it has to invest in skills education and health for people to earn more; it must invest in infrastructure; it must invest in security and governance. If the government wants results it must do more and talk less. So far all we have heard is talk and chaos. Its time to govern Mister Prime Minister: time to walk the talk.
It is not a partership. Government job is to promote private sector. Help them to grow. Simple.
A partnership requires trust and respect which this government does not have!
@Taher, Does it mean screwing local businesses if they are made to pay their due taxes and capped any transactions of legal money. How long do you want to pump them with illegal allowances. Let those die down which can't survive within the legal frame work and open an era of neat and clean industrial and trade sector.
Pakistan doesn't belong to IK, Zardari or Nawaz Shrief BUT to us who work and generate finance for it.
Pakistan belongs to the children of those who laid their lives for her independence. These looters like Zardari, Nawaz Shrief and their families deserve to be in jails.
PM, IK has a point and has no family member to pass on this government SO SUPPORT Your Government.
What a pity! Each and every time PM imran visits Karachi he is to carry his own team with him as none from Sindh Government right from Chief Minister to minister welcomes or meets PM Imran while he in Karachi. You can read the name of all ministers seated in Islamabad are flown all the way from Islamabad to Karach and back costing our national exchequer somewhat in 6 figures if not 7. Can't CM be asked why is he indifferent? Iqbal Hadi Zaidi
Have patience, give Imran just four more years, we shall get used to such hard times thereafter.
It doesn't look like a request, rather seems a threat. PM should know that in business it doesn't work !!
@Taher, I am not sure if it is possible to do so, but perhaps levying higher import tax can solve this matter.
Translation! Collect and pay all taxes due the government!
The PTI government shall make policies to help the business community, reducing imports and increasing exports. Taking interest based loans in billions from the IMF, World Bank, and ADP will cause big repayment problems in the future.
Partners? Your government, like it or not is your partner. Albeit, at the call of the electorate...
Gordon D. Walker
Canada
To everyone criticizing government for taxes, you do realize country can't run when only 2 percent of total population pays tax
Wealth tax and luxurios properties and style life of peoples have had to face a resonable tax of not less than the sum of their total turn overs and the total transactions. Nationis right to protest and not to register. Because your government salaries and perks plus the contracts employees have unlimited and il legal salaries plus they draw commissions and kick backe from IMF, DISCOS as well as the IPP’s.
perks luxurious life, all places in the world along their families; why no-ever think of their hundreds of billion rupees from the draconian debited nation. could any gives a thought that the prevailing flow our expenses of the government are far greter and higher than thieves. Cut down all salaries and perks of all near and dear cabinet members and advisers;haqnking you very much.