Ahsan advocates continuity of policies for 10 years.

LAHORE -- Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has said the country can progress through political stability and continuity of the policies.

He was addressing the participants in a two-day Econ Fest session on 'How to turnaround Pakistan?' at Alhamra on Saturday. Dr Adnan was the moderator.

Mr Iqbal said the nation was not facing any lack of mental and administrative capabilities but they would need continuity of policies for minimum 10 years.

He said the country was lucky to get three opportunities to make progress but could not do so. 'The nation had got first chance in 1960s to progress by opening ways for investments and the 1965 war ruined the chances, secondly, in 1991 when prime minister Nawaz Sharif had opened the market for investors and his government was sent packing within two years and thirdly, during their last tenure by starting the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).'

He said the CPEC brought about heavy investment of $29 billion in the country but the regime change in 2018 had reversed the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as the investors were scandalised in corruption cases and those who brought the investment from China were put in death cells.

Mr Iqbal said the previous Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government had created a big trust deficit among China and Pakistan and the current government was trying to end it.

He said only collective wisdom would benefit the country to build trust among investors. 'We need a unifying force with collaborative strategies for continuity of policies to progress,' he said.

The federal minister said the government had established a forum of investors and economists known as 'Champion of reforms network' and asked them to suggest reforms and help to come out of this difficult time.

He said the forum would also ensure and put pressure on any government to continue policies and reforms suggested both by the government and the forum. The members of the forum would include academia, civil society, and commerce and information technology and development experts.

He said the tax...

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