LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League (N) Lahore President and MNA Pervaiz Malik has said that the PML-N government always introduced traders-friendly policies after coming into power to promote business activities in the country. In the same way, traders also come forward and fully cooperate with the government for development and progress of the country.
In an exclusive interview with Customs Today, Pervaiz Malik, member of National Assembly’s Standing Committees on Commerce & Finance and Revenue, said that the government is striving hard and implementing well-thought-out policies to establish and boost new and already existing trade relations with its neighbours including Iran.
“In spite of all major issues, increasing trade ties with India can be called one of the best examples of the government’s revolutionary policies. That is why India is also interested in improving trade ties with Pakistan,” he said.
The government has set clear agenda of implementing only those policies to enhance export-related connections and discourage foreign aid and loans from the US and other donors.
“For this purpose, we are also taking part in all trade exhibitions being held in other countries along with introducing and promoting their products in Pakistan as well in coordination with chambers of commerce and industry,” he added.
Pervaiz Malik said that the government is promoting Pakistan’s good image in other countries through its financial ambassadors as this will ultimately result in attracting more and more foreign investors. In addition, improved security situation in the country would also bring in foreign investors, he said, adding, “It would also make it easier for us to get access to foreign markets.”
He urged the industrialists to improve standard and quality of their products to increase exports because high quality products can be the simplest way to lure the investors.
Talking about Pak-Iran business train, Malik said that it would definitely multiply trade between the two countries. Similarly, the government has strengthened relations with Turkey that is why Turkish businessmen are investing in Pakistan at a large scale.
He stated that gas and electricity crises and law & order situation took the economy to the brink of collapse, owing to which foreign investors felt insecure to invest their money in the country. It is the top priority of the government to fade out these crises and the government is working on it day and night.
He said that the government is making a comprehensive plan to build dams at the earliest to resolve these issues in the best interest of the country. Problem of gas loadshedding would be resolved within few years and Pak-Iran gas pipeline project would also be implemented in this regard.
He said that the government has taken stern action against extortionists to get rid of this menace from the country. Such criminal elements are being nabbed and brought to justice.
He said, “I always played role of a bridge between the government and traders and remained active to resolve their problems”. He appealed to the traders that they should convince the people to pay taxes so that the country could get out of rid of the clutches of foreign donors.
Commenting on decreasing value of rupee, he said that financial crunch was the main reason behind this crisis. He blamed that the former governments made artificial policies and left behind several major problems for the current government. But the current government is working on a feasible and solid economic plan, he asserted.
Commenting on Customs Today, Pervaiz Malik said that the newspaper seems to be the true representative of traders across Pakistan. He congratulated Customs Today team for their hard work.
Profile:
Mohammad Pervaiz Malik was born in Lahore on November 18, 1947. He is elected to the National Assembly for the second time on the PML-N seat. He was previously elected as MNA for the term of 1997-1999. Mohammad Pervaiz Malik is also a member of the Parliamentary Task Force on WTO issues.
An industrialist by profession, Mohammad Pervaiz Malik completed his B.Sc Engineering from Aston University, UK in 1970, and is a member of the Lahore Gymkhana Club and the Lahore Businessmen Association for the Disabled. He has travelled extensively through numerous regions of the world. He has previously served as a member on the Standing Committee of the National Assembly on Labour and Manpower.
He is a member of National Assembly’s following committees: Standing Committee on Commerce, Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue and Standing Committee on Minorities.
