BRUSSELS, Belgium: The Federal Minister for Commerce Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan said on Wednesday that promotion of democratic institutions and effectively dealing with the menace of terrorism led towards Pakistan’s economic growth.
“Strengthening of democratic institutions and tackling of terrorism in an effective manner have led to economic growth as well as reform in various institutions of Pakistan”, the minister said while addressing a Briefing Seminar entitled “Pakistan’s Changing Reality: An Opportunity for Peace and Development.”
The seminar was organized by the European Institute of Asian Studies (EIAS), a prestigious think tank, in cooperation with the Embassy of Pakistan in Brussels.
The minister said that the emerging new reality of Pakistan offered opportunities for peace and development, not only within the country but also its immediate and extended neighbours.
Dastgir said that an era of democratic stability and socio economic development defined today’s Pakistan. He said that Pakistan gained from GSP+ status in many ways as the country took it as an incentive for carrying out reforms in social and economic sectors, and for working in direction of implementing rights enshrined in our constitution.
The federal minister pointed out that Treaty Implementation Cell was established to ensure our international obligations for improvement of rights of people.
Khurram Dastgir said that Pakistan’s exports increased by 37 percent after grant of GSP+ and European exports to Pakistan in the form of machinery needed for production also witnessed a rise by 15 percent.
“Pakistan has come a long way since election in 2013. Today Pakistan is a mature and functional democracy. Economy is growing and security has improved providing the space necessary to undertake the essential reforms,” he added.
Referring to comprehensive strategy adopted by the government to tackle terrorism, Khurram Dastgir said that the government worked diligently to create national consensus on the strategy to tackle the threats of extremism and terrorism.
The commerce minister said that military operation Zarb-e-Azb was started in June 2014 and National Action Plan (NAP) was launched in 2015. As a result, he added, remarkable successes were achieved in countering terrorism and extremism.
The minister informed that in the last two years the number of deaths due to terrorist attacks reduced by 66 percent.
