PM urges cabinet members to immediately move towards meeting five-year roadmap targets

LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday urged his cabinet members to immediately commence work towards achieving the targets set in a five-year roadmap as shared with all the relevant ministries.

Addressing a meeting of the cabinet, the prime minister said that he had shared broad parameters of the five-year plan with the relevant ministries by setting various targets to be achieved immediately without wasting time.

Under the parameters, he said, the ministries concerned should evolve mechanism, hire human resource and formulate strategies to meet the set targets, he added.

“Responsibility with accountability will be the hallmark of the five-year roadmap as no system in the world can progress without it,” he opined.

The prime minister said that for the purpose, all the available resources and tools should be explored besides, those not available immediately be procured, the official news agency reported.

He said that for overcoming delays and red tape, a forum like Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) was available, adding that to hire global consultants, the relevant rules should also be followed.

The prime minister stressed for utilising the country’s talented human resource to achieve the targets.

He also urged the ministries to adopt innovative tools and thinking, besides reducing the file work burden.

“They have a five-year term to transform the economic situation of the country, but for that purpose, they have to commence their respective work immediately,” he emphasised.

For achieving self-sufficiency, the prime minister said, they have to reduce the burden of foreign debts, increase GDP, create jobs, develop agriculture and IT sectors, bring reforms in energy sector and end smuggling.

When the wheel of economy moves on, the country would achieve progress, he said, adding that for the economic stability, they have to take the required initiatives themselves.

The prime minister said that the FBR digitalisation plan was underway. About Rs27 billion were stuck in the appellate courts and for expeditious disposal of these cases, they would bring competent judges with enhanced incentives, he added.

He said the Chief Justice of Pakistan, during a recent meeting with him, had also assured of complete support in this regard.

The prime minister noted that efforts should be made for reducing the official expenditures. He said achieving $25 billion IT export target was not unfeasible.

The prime minister also appreciated the interim government for recovering Rs58 billion rupees in the power sector and said that for the first time in the country’s history, such a target was achieved in the shortest term.

The prime minister also assured to provide all possible resources for the defence of the country, adding that martyred officers and personnel of the armed forces and security forces were the heroes of the nation.

PM Shehbaz said an unfortunate and horrifying incident occurred in Bisham on March 26 in which five Chinese and one local were killed.

He said the enemies of Pakistan do not want the Pak-China friendship to progress, adding that the bilateral cooperation between the two countries in different fields was exemplary.

The prime minister said that they stood with the Chinese government and the people over the tragic incident. He recounted that he had visited the Chinese embassy and offered condolences to the Chinese President, Premier and the Chinese people on behalf of the entire Pakistani nation.

The Chinese leadership was assured that the investigation would be carried out immediately and the responsible would get exemplary punishment, he added.

PM Shehbaz reiterated that they would not rest till elimination of terrorism.