President Alvi urges consultation with all stakeholders for sound economic policies

HYDERABAD, Feb 18 (SABAH): President Dr. Arif Alvi has called for due consultation with all the relevant stakeholders, including chambers of commerce and industry, to make sound economic policies to put the country on the path of socio-economic development and prosperity. He regretted that in the past policies were made without consultation and relevant stakeholders were only consulted after the enactment of policies, which lead to crisis.

President Dr. Arif Alvi expressed these views while addressing a ceremony at the Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Saturday.

Addressing the occasion, President Dr. Arif Alvi said that Pakistan did not need mavericks but commitment to bring it out of its current difficult economic situation, adding that the country and its policymakers need to make forward-looking policies, besides ensuring their timely implementation. He stated that the country was going through a difficult phase and now was the time for the country’s leadership to sit together to reduce polarization.

The President said that pilferage and corruption were hampering the national growth and development and had caused great loss to the country. He further remarked that it was not only the politicians’ job to curb this menace but the whole society, including the business community, would have to play their role to reduce corrupt practices in the country.

President Dr. Arif Alvi said that Pakistan needed to invest in fields like Information Technology and Cyber Security, in addition to traditional security, to ensure peace and stability in the region. He said that IT was a fast-growing business in Pakistan and was already the second biggest export earner after the textile industry. He added that IT was the only field where women could work from their homes and offer their services to a global market through online platforms, thus, helping them empower financially as well as improving the country’s economy. While talking about increasing women’s inclusion in the mainstream of economic activities, he said that businesses should welcome, accommodate and encourage women to enter into businesses.

President Dr. Arif Alvi regretted that only 68% of children in Pakistan went to schools whereas the enrollment rate in other South Asian countries was over 98%. He added that Pakistan’s elites, businessmen and successful people needed to fulfill their social responsibility and take steps to improve the country’s literacy rate. He further stated that China paid great attention to the development of its health and education sector and progressed within a short span of time and brought its people out of poverty.