Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said here on Thursday that Pakistan’s exports have reached US$12.5 billion, but still we have to go far ahead.

He said the government believes there is greater importance of local investor.

He was holding a meeting with a delegation which included members of FPCCI led by its President Riaz Ahmed Tata and members of trade and business at the Governor House.

He pointed out that the government is faced with many challenges, which we have to cope with. He referred to the creation of new ministry of textile industry and said there is vast scope of development of the textile sector.

He advised that industries should be set up keeping the export target in view as industries cannot develop by merely keeping the market consumption themselves.

The premier assured that government will provide all facilities in this regard besides providing the market access. He pointed out that the government has chalked out a fiscal policy to provide the investors with all facilities. However, he observed that they face problem in the supply of electricity and gas.

In this regard he said, "We are increasing power production and our effort is to import electricity from Tajikistan at competitive rate."

He said efforts are already in hand for supply of gas from Iran. The prime minister told the gathering that land purchase and lease system is being further improved and regulated. "The system of issuing NOC for the lease is being simplified," he added.

Shaukat said there is great potential for housing and construction of shopping centres and hotel in Karachi while potential also exists for real estate in the domestic market, which creates new jobs.

He said a new industrial estate will be established where all infrastructrual facilities will be provided and there could be public private partnership as well.

He said major industries can also set up their own power plants. Regarding market access he said the commerce ministry has been asked to appoint a trade negotiator who should be professional.

Referring to SME as a sector where, he said, more job opportunities are available there. He said this sector has achieved lot of progress in small cities and there is a programme for specific industrial estates for promotion of this sector.

He said taxes will also be reduced for industrial promotion. "We want to facilitate the industry to help increase industrial productivity, economic progress and creation of more and more job opportunities," he added.

He informed that the government is spending a lot on infrastructure development so that private sector could be facilitated to the maximum.

He announced that the government wants to transform Karachi into a vibrant modern city. He said significant successes are being achieved for elimination of terrorism while law and order problem is being effectively tackled.

Pointing out that Karachi is a cosmopolitan city, he said that policing system is also being improved. However, the personnel are made accountable and they are given focussed approach to attain targets and goals.

"We will have to adopt a business-like approach and there is need to have result-oriented approach," he said. He said he has given goals and target to his cabinet which he will personally review after every three months.

He told the delegation members that he will invite them to Islamabad soon and hold detailed meeting with them along with his economic team.

"We need industrialisation to create more jobs, to increase income and strengthen economy. Your role is important and you should invest in sectors, which have export potential," he added.

Shaukat said the provincial government is keen to gear up industrial activity and is well prepared to facilitate the private sector.

The prime minister directed the IG Police Sindh to beef up his efforts to provide safety to life and property of the people and create a safe environment.

pakistan should be a $50 billion export country by 2020. this should be the target that the government should set. its achievable, given the success pakistan has seen in export growth over the past five years and WTO changes in motion now. consistent growth of 10-15% can lead us to this target in 15 years.

To reach $ 50 Billion Target is achievable that country maintains the average growth rate of 9.05% till 2020. But if they maintain the rate of 12% then they should reach to the level of $ 76.629 Billion and if 14% or 15% growth rate is maintained then the value could be $101.715 Billion or $ 116.970 Billion.

They should strive to make it more then 10% but more logical number is 9% which is good but not good enough to catch up with world.

I think that economic activity will grow fastly after 4 years and after 10 years or so if the current momen. is maintained then you will see Pakistan doing the catching with world with having some impressive growth rate.

Pakistan must focus on exporting finished goods and no agricultural raw products. Looking at the asian tigers... The secret is better education. Mr Shaukat is in control o that.

Reliance's turnover is 13 billion

Actually, the yearly GDP growth rate would touch 8% in 2 years time.

India for the past 10 years has worked hard, and today they are at a 6.5% GDP, whereas Pakistan's GDP last year alone reached 6.4%, but we need to give a boost to our exports, and Gwadar is going to give a big one.

I mean, China's Western provinces would use the port for all there exports ( $$$ ), then all the Tajik oil will be exported from Gwadar, Kuwait and Iran are also planning, which means more exports, and Central Asian states need a port for exports, so Gwadar it will be, and Karachi too, and Russia needs hot water ports, and Pakistan recently offered Russia to export from Gwadar, and make investment there, so Russia is cool with Pakistan now, and Russia will use Gwadar for exports (cause Russian waters freeze during winter time, not hot water ports), Iran would also use our port to some extent, and Afghanistan would use Gwadar, Karachi for sure.

And on top of that, Gwadar would be a free trade zone, which means a lot of investment in the area, and then more exports from Gwadar itself, Made in Pakistan stuff, this will take a lot of load of Karachi.

and then next, Ormara and Pasni would be developed into Port cities, more investment and boost to exports.

Lahore is getting a huge dry port, which means, transit trade from India to Central Asia, more exports from Pak.

We can do it !

The projects undertaken by NEKSPAK till date is at US $ 105 billion.

Which is close enough to the Indian reserves.

sultan, lets give credit where credit is due. india has clocked 7% plus growth rates for the past seven or eight years now. it touched 8% i believe in the last few years. pakistan too will get there, slowly but surely. in my own opinion, we wont see this number until 2006. it depends on our export growth, our small and medium enterprises, and tax collection. pakistan has a repressive tax system, so that pakistanis are the most taxed citizens in asia. i believe they are making reforms, but right now it seems like its been very slow. this will be key to pakistans future economic growth. lets pray for the best.

what the hell has that got to do with Pakistan!!!?

FACT: India has over 7 times the population of Pakistan, over four times the land and much more resources, yet Indian exports stand at $45 billion compared to Pakistan's $12 billion

Shariff yaar.... yeh chor..

talk about Japan'z exportz compared to India.....

Note : Japan is a very small country...

Cant say it better. thats the way to go

Sultan,

Well done Sir.

The cumulative cost of the projects undertaken. FROM 1973, by NEKSPAK is US $ 105 billion.

I.E. The consultancy carried out by NESPAK is on Projects whose total cost of implementation amounted to USD 105 Billion.

Introduction to NESPAK



It does not mean that NESPAK’s Turnover was USD 105 Billion.

Peace

Sharif Smuggler,

Your “Indian Export Figures” are two or may be three years out of date.

Please Click Here

Now Click On : Directorate General of Foreign Trade

Then Click On : India's Trade

Finally Click On : EXPORT OF PRINCIPAL COMMODITIES

You will find that in US Dollar Terms India’s Exports for the period 2003-2004 are USD 63.45456 Billion. They do not include Software Exports, BPO Earnings etc. which amount to about USD 12 Billion. As such the Total Exports Earnings are USD 76 Billion to which you must also add about USD 20 Billion in Repatriation of Foreign Earnings.

In any case the Indian GDP is only USD 599 Billion as per following :

World Bank’s India Data Profile 2003

You are aware that Pakistan’s GDP is USD 95 Billion.

As such India’s Exports of Six Times corresponds to the GDP Equation.

Of course Pakistan is Richer than India. Pakistan’s Per Capita Income is USD 652 whereas India’s Per Capita Income is USD 530 as per the above World Bank Data. Again with Four Times the Area and Seven Times the Population means that India is much poorer than Pakistan in Natural Resources on a Per Capita Basis.

I would agree with you that India needs to make even more greater efforts to improve its economic condition.

Peace

Sultan,

Japan with about One-Eighth India’s Population has Eight Times the GDP.

Japan can even be compared to Pakistan. Japan’s Population is slightly less Pakistan’s Population but Japan’s GDP is Forty Times!

How about Singapore. About One Fortieth the Population as Pakistan and nearly the same GDP?

As compared to Pakistan, India’s main problem is that with only Four Times the Area India is burdened with Seven Times the Population and thus has far lesser resources on a Per Capita Basis.

Peace

ChthonicPowers,

I accept your views on Pakistan’s GDP and Pakistan’s “Re-Calculating” it GDP for the simple reason what Pakistanis-Pakistan do with their “Calculations” is their business.

What I would not like is to have India’s “Re-Calculated” GDP go up by 40%. You have your own opinions about your Leaders – Military and Political – and I have mine about their Indian counterparts.

You will have noticed that All Pakistani Leaders act in Pakistan’s National Interest and as such all their Actions are Based on the National Interest which is Paramount. The Indian Leaders happen to be more selfish and do not keep the National Interest as their main Goal at all times.

As such you Pakistanis are lucky. May be one day when the Indian Leaders can also act on the basis India’s National Interest is Paramount then a “Recalculation” of India’s GDP will not cause the havoc which I fear at the moment.

Physical Software : Sorry I can’t answer. May be a more “IT-Economics Savvy Guru” could help.

An ordinary person’s request : India’s GDP today is USD 599 Billion.

India now “Re-calculates” her GDP and the Figure is either USD 700 Billion or USD 800 Billion or USD 900 Billion or whatever – only thing is that for the purpose of discussion the increased “Re-Calculated” Figure is substantially more than USD 599 Billion.

Please tell me how does this help my daily life in India.

I want to know as an Ordinary Person who has to bear the brunt of “Tax” Payment and gets the “few” Benefits that the Government provides to the common person.

In other words, will my “Take Home” Salary Go up?, will there be more money spent by the Indian Government for my children’s Education?, will my Parents get better Health Care?

Peace

This is a purely Economic decision pal. Nothing to do with Politics. Take your complaints about politics to the mandir or an appropriate thread. Nobody around here cares if God gave you inept political leadership.





Of course. The fact that an Economy adds several sectors between two base years means there are more employment opportunities for the oridinary indian. And more employement means people have their children educated, fed and provided access to health. The rebasing of Accounts itself doesn't do anything. It is merely adjusting the books to include the new secotrs that are already doing all the wonderful things you alluded to in your post.

Like I said, one needs atleast some familiarity with basic economic concepts to understand the economic decisions. So if u dont understand a word..I cant help further.

Lets wait and see the total exports for this fiscal year, they should inshahullah cross 12.5 billion at LEAST..