KARACHI, Dec 18: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday said that the government was alive to the problems being faced by the business community and industry, including energy crisis and was pursuing various corrective measures to meet the challenges.

He sought the business community’s cooperation and support for ensuring continuity of economic policies. “With your cooperation, we would have a better Pakistan tomorrow,” the president remarked while addressing the business community at 36th FPCCI Export Trophy Awards distribution ceremony, at the Governor House.

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Senior Federal Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amim Fahim, President, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry Haji Fazal Kadir Khan Sherani, former president FPCCI Tariq Sayeed were present, besides a number of other leading businessmen.

President Zardari appreciated the business community role in reviving and strengthening the economy despite many challenges including natural calamities, flood and heavy rains destroying agriculture and infrastructure of the country over the last three years.

He expressed the hope that the business community would continue contributing its share and play even greater role in strengthening of the economy in future also.

The president also recounted government's achievements during past five years. These included strengthening of stock market, export of wheat and sugar and launching of a comprehensive social safety programme for the poorest of the poor.

He said we should look for the future demand for food items within and outside the country. “Pakistan can be a food basket for the region with best management of our resources,” he remarked.

The president said that had Shaheed Benazir Bhutto's energy policy been continued, the country would have no energy crisis today, rather we would have surplus electricity.

Answering a question raised by the FPCCI president, Mr Zardari said that the government was seriously pursuing the Pak-Iran gas pipeline project. He said that the government was making all efforts to overcome issues regarding the finances for the project.

He underlined the need that the nation as a whole would have to fight terrorism and extremism to its logical conclusion for peace and economic prosperity in the country and the region.

Earlier, the President distributed exports trophy awards to 62 leading exporters of FPCCI.—APP