ISLAMABAD: Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has said that the government has prepared a road map for next three years to achieve the GDP growth as high as 7 percent. According to this road map, measures will be taken to raise the foreign reserves to $30 billion, fix the fiscal deficit below 4 percent of the GDP and maintain the inflation with in single digit.
He was addressing at the SECP head office to facilitate all the stakeholders of the capital market on MSCI reclassification of Pakistan’s Capital Market in the ‘emerging markets’ category. Ishaq Dar said that it is a historic day that we have regained the status which we have lost after crises in stock market in 2008. He announce that the PML-N’s government has achieved most of the targets on economic front which have been part of its manifesto and regain the emerging market status was one of them. the finance minister said that country will say goodbye to IMF following upcoming 12th review of the fund. However, he said we recognize the IMF contribution and assistance towards stabilizing Pakistan’s fiscal position. He proclaimed that the country’s foreign reserves will hopeful be reached at $22 billion by end July.
He said that Pakistan’s macro-economic indicators have been established and world is recognized it. In future, the government will focus on achieving high growth and development. He said that Pakistan’s economy has potential to reach at very high place in the world. Ishaq Dar said that the politics and economic shouldn’t be coupled together and invited all political parties to join the government in formulating a future economic roadmap for the country.
He said the last three years decision of the government and operation Zarb-e-Azb contributed in improving the country’s repute and win the confidence of the investors. Dar said that there were a lot of pending legislation but the SECP has revamped most of its laws to make them up to date. An another upcoming major achievement of the SECP in reforming its legal infrastructure would be the introduction of Companies Bill 2016 that will be introduced in the parliament in near future, he added.
The SECP Chairman Zafar Hijazi said that it is a land mark achievement and he appreciated the people from SECP and PSX who worked hard to attain this status. However, he said, the status come with more responsibilities and requires the regulator to become more vigilant and careful. He cautioned that the SECP will be more attentive and stringent to maintain discipline in market and confidence of investors.
The SECP Chairman said that next challenge ahead is the divestment of stock exchange. He said we have constitutes a committee comprises of all stakeholders to search for an effective strategic investor for PSX. He hoped that PSX will be able to attract global strategic investors and financial institutions and form technological partnerships to fulfill the objectives of integration and become a major regional investment hub.
