PM vows to transform country's economic landscape

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday expressed the firm resolve to transform the country's economic landscape.

Chairing cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister said he shared broad parameters of a five-year plan with all the ministries, specifying their targets.

He emphasized that the ministries would have to devise strategies to achieve these targets.  He said progress of the ministries on these targets will also be reviewed regularly.

Shehbaz Sharif said they have to cut our expenditures and take the country towards self-reliance.

Expressing the determination to uplift various sectors such as agriculture and Information Technology, the Prime Minister said we have to take the country on the growth trajectory and create employment opportunities.

He was confident that the ministry of commerce would take the requisite steps to double the country's exports before five years period of current government.

The Prime Minister said strict action will be taken against illegal trade, power theft and other leakages.

He said a program has been chalked out for the complete digitalization of the FBR. For this purpose, consultants will be hired by next month.

Alluding to the Besham incident which claimed the lives of five Chinese engineers and one Pakistani, the Prime Minister said anti-Pakistan elements, which are against strong bonds between China-Pakistan relations, are behind this despicable attack.

He said the people of Pakistan are fully behind their Chinese friends at this hour of grief. He pointed that he visited the Chinese embassy after the incident and extended condolences. He said the condolence message was also sent to the Chinese leadership with the assurance that whosoever is behind the terrorist attack will be given exemplary punishment.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed the determination to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country.

Paying tributes to the sacrifices of the security personnel, the Prime Minister said the defence of Pakistan is impregnable.  He said those rendering lives for the security of the homeland are our heroes. He assured that resources would be provided to fulfill the requirements of the security forces.