November 21, 2019: Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed the confidence that long term policies of the government will lead to the economic stability of the country.   

Addressing a ceremony of sales tax refunds in Islamabad on Wednesday, he said Pakistan was facing a loss of 19.5 billion dollars when the incumbent government came into power. The rupee was under pressure and economic indicators were poor.

Appreciating the work of government's economic team in a relatively short period of time, the Prime Minister said the currency is now stabilizing and the stock market is continuously improving. He said export volume is also enhancing which is good for the overall economy of the country. He said he believes that improvement in long term policies of the country will further improve the economic image of the country, besides increasing the trust of local and foreign investors.

The Prime Minister said Pakistan has a potential more than many countries in the region but it was not harnessed by previous governments. He regretted that the lack of continuity in policies also led to adhocism in policymaking. 

The Prime Minister said the government is successful in reducing the current account deficit for the first time in four years.

Terming the wealth creation essential for national development, he said the government will promote and facilitate the business community and industry. He said measures are also being taken to curb the menace of smuggling to benefit the national economy.

Imran Khan said the tax registration by traders is vital for economic development as the government cannot be run efficiently without enhancing the revenues. He congratulated Chairman FBR Shabbar Zaidi and his team for enhancing the tax base. He urged the business community to take it as their national duty to pay taxes.

Earlier, the Prime Minister distributed cheques of sales tax refunds among representatives of various exporting companies.

Radio Pakistan

31207