ISLAMABAD, Aug 13: Pakistan’s economy did not match the level of growth achieved by other countries that gained independence at the same time, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Nasir Khan said.

Though Pakistan is making progress, a lot still needs to be done, Mr Khan said in a statement issued here on Monday.

The government should devise long-term policies that must broadly focus on major problems of poverty, education, health, unemployment and macro and micro economic development.

He said it was time that Pakistan should be well prepared to survive in the highly competitive global economy, adding that the country was still lagging behind in industrialisation.

The ICCI president said Pakistan came into being after the never ending struggle of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, and we must follow his principles of faith, unity and discipline to get a more respectable place in the world.

Cut in LPG prices sought: The business community in the federal capital has asked the government to reduce the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) which is used as an alternative fuel in the rural areas.

The price of LPG went up in the wake of government’s move to link the base price of the local stock with international market. The consumer price of each cylinder was in the range of Rs484 to Rs600 at the end of July 2007. In December 2006, the average price of each cylinder was Rs510.