RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister for Commerce Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan has said that energy and extremism are the biggest problems of Pakistan and creating hurdle in national development.
He said that electricity crisis will be resolved in 2017 and to overcome gas crunch first LNG terminal will be completed in February 2015 and second one will be installed in May of this year. He said that Pakistan will soon get 1000MW electricity under KASA-1000 project with Tajikistan and government working to enhancing energy generation through furnace oil which will have positive impact on the recent crisis. “Political instability (sit-ins ) badly affect the national development and destroy the foreign investment opportunities in the country but government is still committed to facilitate the masses,” he said. He was exchanging these views with the President Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) Syed Asad Mashadi during his visit to Chamber on Tuesday. Senior vice President Mian Humayun Parvez, Former Presidents Sheikh Shabbir, S.M Naseem, S.M Azeem, Najam Rehan, Manzar Khurshid, members’ executive committee and other members of the Chamber were also present on the occasion.
The Federal Minister said that in current situation we cannot talk on trade enhancement with India once the situation gets normal we will see. He said that government keen to enhance trade relations with every nation specially Afghanistan and Central Asian States are in focus of the government, New Afghan govt is cooperative and a positive policy shift can be found. He said that RCCI is one of the best Chambers of the country organising international expos with its own resources; government will facilitate Rawalpindi Chamber in Expos. He ensured his full support to the President RCCI.
Earlier speaking on the occasion, RCCI President Syed Asad Mashadi said that government should make business friendly policies as prevailing policies are the main hurdle in national economic uplift. He said that business community always support govt’s positive stance and criticized poor performance as well. He further said that RCCI organized 12 single country expos last year and this year also planning the same in different countries. He was of the view that to achieve maximum results commercial counselors should be appointed on merit basis.
