DAVOS, Switzerland: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Thursday said Pakistan was privileged to be part of the visionary Chinese leaderships’ “Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)”.
While speaking in a breakfast meeting arranged by the Pathfinder Group in Davos, Switzerland which was also attended by Pakistani businessmen, media representatives, friends of Pakistan from several nations, the prime minister said China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would provide dividends for centuries to come in the shape of employment generation, industrial growth and connectivity.
The prime minister said consolidation of democracy in Pakistan was a positive indicator, and all institutions should work hand-in hand for development and stability of Pakistan.
Khaqan said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, on assuming power, was faced with major challenges of law and order, terrorism, energy shortage and an under-performing economy. He said presently, due to the hard work and commitment of our government, law and order situation had improved considerably and has restored investors’ confidence.
“I met several business leaders here at Davos and all of them expressed a strong desire to invest and expand businesses in Pakistan”, he said.
While elaborating the successes achieved in eliminating terrorism, the prime minister said Pakistan fought the war against terrorism from its own resources with a heavy toll on human lives and substantial loss to the economy.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said Pakistan had been hosting around three million Afghan refugees since long which was the longest and largest refuge provided anywhere around the globe. He emphasized the world must acknowledge our efforts and sacrifices.
Regarding the progress made on energy front, Khaqan Abbasi said Pakistan now had surplus gas and had overcome energy deficiency in a sustainable and efficient way.
“We have diversified our energy mix and with inclusion of coal and gas instead of expensive conventional fuels” the prime minister said.
Furthermore, he said Pakistan had achieved high economic growth with low inflation that was a positive scenario augmenting greater investor confidence. He said Pakistan had been able to construct 1700 Kilometers of six lane motorways under CPEC, a target which many developed Countries find hard to achieve.
The prime minister said Gwadar port was operational now and provided world class shipment and logistical facilities.
PM Khaqan meets Chairman WEF Klaus Schwab
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi met the Founder and Chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Professor Klaus Schwab in a bilateral meeting at the sidelines of the WEF annual meeting 2018 in Davos.
The prime minister apprised the WEF chairman that Pakistan’s economic growth would reach six percent this year.
Professor Schwab appreciated the efforts and measures taken by the present Pakistani government for registering a significant growth in the economy. He also noted the size of young population of Pakistan and appreciated the prime minister’s focus on creating jobs for the youth in Pakistan.
The Special Assistant to Prime Minister Ali Jahangir Siddiqui was also present.
