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Experts for integrated economic governance to overcome crisis
Policy experts at a consultation have underscored the necessity for an integrated economic governance framework to help Pakistan escape recurring economic instability cycles, asserting that consistent growth would be achievable only through policy coherence, institutional coordination, and long-term reforms.
A consultation on “Pakistan’s Reform Agenda for Integrated Economic Governance” was co-organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) here on Monday.
In his introductory remarks, SDPI Deputy Executive Director (Research) Dr Sajid Amin Javed remarked that Pakistan has achieved short-term macroeconomic stabilization many a time but has failed to sustain it.
Pakistan manages to attain stabilization but it loses it in about every third fiscal cycle, he said adding that the consultation was aimed at identifying policy actions that could ensure continuous and sustainable economic growth.
Senior Economist and academician Dr Aliya Hashmi said there is a need for clearly defined national growth targets backed by a holistic reform agenda, implementation framework and robust monitoring and evaluation procedures.
She warned that Pakistan needed to focus on creating productive employment opportunities for its fast rising youth population and that gains in GDP metrics alone would not offer real growth without quality job creation.
Dr Hashmi, who underlined the importance of expanding women’s engagement in the labour market, pointed out that the greater female employment has resulted in lower fertility rates and better economic outcomes in numerous nations of the region, including India.
Dr Muhammad Ali Talpur, Joint Chief Economist at the Ministry of Planning, said political instability, insufficient policy coordination and lack of continuity are important hurdles for efficient economic governance.
He endorsed SDPI’s diagnosis of Pakistan’s economic problems, saying the government had previously identified fundamental governance deficiencies and had taken 142 policy steps in 58 departments to solve them. He stated that major reforms had already been made in the form of separating tax policy from tax administration in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), which he said was a reflection of the government’s realisation of structural flaws.
Pakistan was still crippled by consistent internal and external deficits which had restricted economic policy making for decades, said Dr Talpur.
He said future reforms should focus on investment in human resources, increasing exports through deregulation and rationalisation of tariffs and improving export competitiveness.
The National Economic Council, as the highest planning body in the country with representation from federal and provincial governments, was well positioned to support coordinated national development planning and deepen integrated economic governance, he said.
Karachi Port has reached another key milestone with arrival of one of the world’s largest container vessels MSC Loreto at the port, showcasing the expansion of Pakistan’s maritime handling capabilities.
The ultra-large container vessel spanning around 399.9 meters in length and carrying 24,346 containers berthed at South Wharf Berth No. 2 of the SAPTL port, sources at Karachi Port Trust (KPT) said.
The vessel arrived carrying 14,538 containers and will dump 3,802 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) to the SAPTL facility during its stay.
The Karachi Port Trust’s spokesperson said the port is now able to safely and efficiently accommodate some of the world’s largest container ships, reflecting advancements in infrastructure and operating capacity.
MSC Loreto would be at the Karachi Port for two days before proceeding to the United Arab Emirates, the official further said.
Adiala Jail authorities have been issued a list of six Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawyers who are to visit PTI founder Imran Khan today (Tuesday).
The list includes names of Barrister Gohar Khan, Salman Akram Raja, Naeem Haider Panjutha, Raja Yasir, Mian Hassan Shakeel and Mian Irfan Bashir. PTI officials provided the names of party lawyers to the jail authorities.
Sources in PTI further told that the sisters of PTI founder will also come to Adiala Jail for meeting their brother.
The party lawyers in the list would visit Adiala Jail for a meeting with PTI founder. It is worth mentioning here that Tuesday is the day for the party attorneys and family members to visit the PTI founder Imran Khan.
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The government achieved the objective of 150,000 Hajj applications in eight days through the online platform.
he Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has surpassed its target of registering 150,000 Hajj applications in just eight days through the online Hajj portal developed by the National IT Board, describing it as a major achievement in the field of digital service delivery and e-governance.
According to the ministry’s spokesperson, efforts to fully digitize Hajj arrangements are progressing rapidly under the vision of the current government.
Through the online Hajj portal and the mobile app ‘Pak Hajj ‘, pilgrims have been provided with an easy, transparent, and swift registration facility from the comfort of their homes.
Public circles have appreciated the new digital system and termed it an effective step towards transparency, convenience, and modern governance in the delivery of government services.
In line with the directives of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the collection of Hajj dues is also moving towards complete digitization.
Following registration, plans to fully integrate the payment of Hajj dues into the digital system in the next phase have entered their final stages.
Under the plan, Hajj pilgrims will be able to pay their dues from home through the online Hajj portal or the ‘Pak Hajj’ mobile app.
For this purpose, a modern Hajj dues collection system is being introduced through One Link, under which pilgrims will no longer need to visit banks or offices, as all steps from registration to payment can be completed with just a few clicks.
According to experts, this new digital model is also emerging as a major convenience for overseas Pakistanis, enabling them to complete Hajj registration, check application status, and pay Hajj dues easily from any part of the world.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs has also introduced several new features in the online Hajj portal and the ‘Pak Hajj’ mobile app, through which applicants can now access their application status, registration details, and other essential information with a single click.
Karachi Port gets world’s largest container ships as capacity increases
PTI Submits List of Lawyers to Adiala Jail Officials for Meeting Imran Khan
The government achieved the objective of 150,000 Hajj applications in eight days through the online platform.
ICC board meeting in India: Mohsin Naqvi gets invitation
The IMF mission has arrived in Pakistan for discussions regarding the budget.
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