ISLAMABAD: Pakistan must focus on value addition, creating competitive exports and leveraging its human capital, said former minister of state and Chairman Board of Investment Haroon Sharif on Monday.

He was speaking at the opening day of a two-day conference at the National University of Modern Languages (Numl) on Monday.

Mr Sharif underscored the importance of redefining economic diplomacy and called for a pragmatic approach to trade and investment. He identified key challenges and fault lines, including low productivity, no trend of value addition to the products, lack of export competitiveness, and insufficient job creation.

The Faculty of Social Sciences at Numl in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission under the National Research Programme for Universities held the international conference, ‘Prioritising economic agenda in Pakistan’s foreign policy towards the United States, China, and the European Union’.

Brig Shahzad Munir, director general Numl, emphasised Pakistan’s transformative potential, stating, “Pakistan is at a defining moment in its history. By setting clear priorities and implementing sound economic policies, we can unlock a brighter future.” Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Jean Monnet Chair Prof Dr Mohammad Riaz Shad highlighted challenges and opportunities for Pakistan in the global economic landscape.

The first session of the conference focused on “Prioritising economic agenda in Pakistan-US relations.” Experts discussed challenges, opportunities, and policy lessons to strengthen economic ties.

Dr Saira Aquil from QAU, Dr Noor Fatima from IIUI, Dr Ahmed Ijaz Malik from QAU and Dr Usman W. Chohan from the Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies were among the speakers.

The second session, “Prioritizing economic agenda in Pakistan-China relations,” featured discussions on challenges and opportunities within the context of CPEC.

Speakers included Dr Khalid Waleed (SDPI), Mohammad Ali Kemal (Ministry of Planning), Dr Mahmood Khalid (PIDE), Dr Mohammad Fahim Khan (Bahria University) and Dr Hassan Daud Butt (former CEO KP-BOIT).

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2024