COAS assures support to govt’s initiatives aimed at economic recovery

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir on Wednesday assured the unwavering resolve of the Pakistan Army to support the government’s initiatives aimed at the economic recovery of the country. He expressed these sentiments during a meeting of the apex committee of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), chaired by Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar. According to a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the committee reviewed progress on various measures being undertaken to improve the investment climate and approved various policy-level interventions to further facilitate the investors including strengthening of domestic dispute resolution mechanism. Read more: SIFC key to economic stability, says IT minister The committee discussed various projects and initiatives being pursued through the platform of SIFC. It reviewed progress on privatisation and appreciated the collaborative approach of various stakeholders in the timely completion of various critical benchmarks and gave directions to maintain the momentum. The meeting was attended by the army chief, members of the caretaker federal cabinet, caretaker provincial chief ministers and high-level officials. The committee also developed consensus on fast-tracking the infrastructural development to facilitate the investors, especially in remote areas of the country and appreciated the ongoing inclusive approach towards human resource development to support emerging needs in key sectors of the economy. The federal ministries presented progress on the projects being steered in key sectors and gave plans for the timely realisation of the envisaged investments. The prime minister directed all the stakeholders to vigorously pursue various SIFC initiatives to ensure their accomplishment within the stipulated timeframe. The committee showed satisfaction with the overall progress achieved in the key sectors under SIFC. It appreciated the enhancing level of economic engagements with friendly countries including the finalisation of bilateral investment treaty with Saudi Arabia and Qatar as well as the signing of MoUs and framework agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait respectively. The forum gave directions to convert these sovereign commitments into economic reality at a fast pace. It also showed firm resolve to take action against smugglers, hoarders and market manipulators that had impacted the economic trajectory and to provide immediate relief to the common citizens.