|
|
|
|
|
Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Federal Minister for Privatisation & Investment
who is currently on a visit to Washington DC, USA briefed the IMF high-level
Conference on "The Middle East and North America (MENA) Region: Challenges of
Growth & Globalisation" being held at IMF Headquarters while chairing the
concluding session on 'The Role of Public Sector'.
Elucidating the salient features of the economic reforms agenda of Pakistan
Government, Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh termed country's experience as excellent
record of economic performance and stable public finances which had helped
increase economic growth.
He said that Pakistan's leadership had played a pivotal role in ensuring
fiscal responsibility, besides helping revive the economy in order to improve
the living standard of the people of Pakistan. The continuity and consistency
of economic, trade and investment policies, the provision of a conducive
investment atmosphere and level playing field for all in most transparent
manner had made Pakistan a safe haven for the investors who preferred Pakistan
for investment in the region, he said.
The Minister also gave an over view of the Pakistan's ambitious Privatisation
Program and informed the participants that the process had started
contributing towards the revenues, increasing the value of the Government's
remaining shareholdings in the privatized entities and attracting fresh
investment through the expansion and generating new job opportunities. The
session covered issues regarding economic and political liberalization, as
well as the role of intuitions in public sector in reforming public finances.
The two-day conference also focused to stimulate policy debate on the
experience of growth and economic reform and explored the policy implications
for the countries in the MENA region. Senior policy experts from the region,
representatives of regional organizations and leading academics participated
in the moot. Mr. Jhon Tayler, Under Secretary, US Department of Treasury also
spoke on the occasion. Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh is expected to return home on
April 12, 2004.