ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday constituted a high-level panel for giving final shape to proposals for concessions to overseas Pakistanis for further increase in remittances, saying expats are Pakistan’s precious asset.The proposed committee will consist of Adviser on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, secretary finance, Special Assistant to PM Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, ex-finance minister Shaukat Tareen and representatives from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).Prime minister formed the committee during a meeting of the government economic team here to review the related policies and measures. The forum had a review of the overall economic situation and the ways and means to creation of job opportunities for youth and skilled persons.The prime minister also directed that side by side with giving concessions for boosting remittances, banks should also be given facilities so that this process could be taken forward in an organised way. He emphasised that it was the government’s endeavour to give maximum legal facilities to the overseas Pakistanis with regards to their hard-earned earnings to Pakistan and also encourage them to play their role in consolidation of the national economy.On this occasion, Shaukat Tareen and Zulfiqar Bukhari, who is special assistant on Overseas Pakistanis, presented a number of proposals on this count before the forum, which held deliberations thereon.Chairman Naya Pakistan Housing Authority Lt-Gen R Anwar Ali Haider apprised the meeting of the measures for promotion of construction sector with special reference to the steps in relation to the problems, being faced by the builders and constructors.Prime minister directed the Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Shabbar Zaidi ensure resolution of genuine problems of the builders and constructors and added not only around 40 sectors were related to construction but also the promotion of this sector would lead to job opportunities for youth. He acknowledged the fact that it was vital to removal of hurdles in the way of growth of the construction sector.The Naya Pakistan Housing Authority chairman informed the committee about the headway made in making use of land, which belonged to various government departments for construction of houses for low-income groups. To this, the prime minister asked for accelerating the pace of utilisation of the government land.The meeting was also given briefing on the progress made so far on E-payment gateway.Among others, the meeting was attended by Minister for Communications Murad Saeed, Minister for Economic Affairs Division Hammad Azhar, Minister for National Food Security Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Adviser on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Adviser on Trade and Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and Special Assistant Nadeem Babar.
12-20-2019, 12:08 PM
PM forms body to boost remittances
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