Islamabad:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Monday that reforms in maritime and energy sectors would increase trade, reduce costs and unlock Pakistan’s economic potential.
The prime minister made these comments while presiding over a high -level meeting to review the progress in the broad government reforms in the maritime sector. He stressed that comprehensive efforts were being made to transform the country’s port infrastructure, rationalize customs operations and strengthen the country’s maritime economy for long -term national benefits.
He raised the working group in maritime reforms for his diligent work and praised his efforts to prepare an integral set of recommendations that aim to finish the stagnation of decades in the sector.
“Pakistan has been blessed with a long coast and vast maritime resources. With the correct reforms, we can unlock immense economic potential and bring our ports to world competitive standards,” said Prime Minister Shehbaz.
He pointed out that the reduction in the electricity rate of almost RS7.5 per unit was a direct result of the focused work of a working group dedicated to reforms in the energy sector.
The prime minister emphasized that the same model based on results was now applied to the maritime sector.
“This reduction in the electricity rate is a great relief not only for homes but also for all sectors such as agriculture, commerce, commerce and industry. It will reduce the cost of production, it will improve local manufacturing, it will generate employment and improve exports,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that the structural reforms remained central to the government’s economic strategy, which had already stabilized the macroeconomic indicators of Pakistan.
He also highlighted the opportunity presented by the recent fall in world oil prices, and said the government was working to take advantage of its long -term benefits for Pakistan’s economy.
The meeting reviewed a detailed presentation in the road map for maritime sector reforms.
The participants of the meeting were informed about the introduction of the law of the maritime port of Pakistan, unifying regulations in all ports, the creation of a national dredging plan, including the formation of a national dredging company to serve ports throughout the country.
The Forum also discussed the modernization of the National Corporation for the Shipping of Pakistan (PNSC) with a 25-year rehabilitation plan and the inclusion of the private sector through public-private associations. It was reported that a hazardous waste removal plant was established in Gadani to handle chemical and industrial waste.
