Economy cannot be run on obsolete concepts: Imran

[ahlam1399]

KARACHI: Prime Minister Imran Khan emphasised on Wednesday that the national economy could no more be run on obsolete concepts, as he assured the business community of addressing their “genuine grievances”.The Prime Minister, in a series of meetings with different delegations of Karachi-based businessmen at the Governor House here, reaffirmed to them the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was committed to easing the doing of business in the country.Khan said poverty alleviation was the top most priority of the government and sought the business community’s help to achieve that goal with the active involvement of all stakeholders. “I along with my team are here to take stock of the situation and help address all genuine grievances of the investors and the business community,” he said.Talking to the representatives of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and other associations, he said tax reforms were an essential component of the PTI’s economic policy.He said the government was equally focusing on promoting investment, raising revenue, and also inflation control and on combating associated increase in the cost of living.Responding to suggestions forwarded by the businessmen, Khan said an efficient strategy was being evolved to counter smuggling, which was causing massive loss to industrial sector and the economy.The delegations unanimously raised the issue of smuggling (inland and otherwise) as a major challenge severely affecting the competitiveness of Pakistan-made goods in the national and international markets. They also discussed the issue of taxation and shared with the Prime Minister their recommendations to improve revenue generation on a sustainable basis. Khan directed his team to look into business community’s issues.Earlier talking to the media, Prime Minister Khan reiterated all the corrupt elements, who burdened the country with Rs30,000 billion debt, would be brought to justice. He said the country could not progress if such corrupt politicians and former rulers were not held accountable.In a veiled reference to the leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Khan said they were out to create panic by blaming the government for the price hike. “Unless they are held accountable, the country could not be put on track of progress. They just want to hear three words ‘NRO’ from me, which I will not utter as it will amount to treachery with the country,” he added.The country could not move ahead if the people and traders were reluctant to pay taxes, he said and maintained only one per cent out of the total 220 million people were paying taxes. He said fewer people were overburdened with the taxes as the industry was paying 70 per cent taxes alone.The government could not go on printing currency as it would escalate price hike, he added and cautioned if the people did not realise their responsibility to pay taxes, the country could run into hyper inflation. “There is dire need to change the mindset for paying taxes,” he emphasised.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/C9hJfn2rnNk

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