THIS refers to the letter ‘Remembered and needed even more’ (Oct 18). Besides the other achievements of Shaheed-i-Millat Liaquat Ali Khan recounted in the said letter, one great breakthrough made by the country’s first prime minister was in the vital economic sector and related to the establishment of the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) under visionary officials.

The PIDC set up a chain of industrial enterprises in Pakistan in the public sector which included major units, like Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works and Karnafuli Paper Mills. The initiatives taken by the PIDC in the public sector showed the industrialisation path to the private sector.

The momentum continued and within a few years Pakistan became an industrial country whose model was followed by other countries as well.

For the last four decades, we have been listening to the failed music of the private sector being the engine of growth.

The PIDC has been made dormant over the years. It is high time we followed the ideas of Liaquat Ali Khan, and made the public sector once again lead the industrialisation path in the country.

Senator Taj Haider
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2021