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Govt making all-out efforts to put economy on path of sustainable growth: Dar

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  • “Pakistan was expected to become world’s 18th-strongest economy in 2016.”
  • The country, however, is facing serious economic challenges, Dar says.
  • “Pakistan will not default,” retreats finance minister.

ISLAMABAD: The federal government is making all possible efforts to steer the country out of a difficult situation and put the economy on the path of sustainable growth, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has said.

Addressing an Iftar dinner hosted by the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) in honour of foreign diplomats, he said that friendly countries are expected to materialise their commitments with Pakistan that would pave the way to close the deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and revive the economy.

In 2016, Pakistan was a rising economy as it was expected to become the world’s 18th-strongest economy, but is now facing serious economic challenges, the financial czar added. “Pakistan will not default and the government is making all possible efforts to steer it out of a difficult situation.”

Speaking on the occasion, ICC President Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari urged the government to ensure consistency in economic policies that would enable the business community and investors to invest in Pakistan with confidence.

He assured that the business community would fully support the government in its efforts to revive the economy.

He highlighted the business and investment opportunities in Pakistan for diplomats and said that Pakistan is a huge market with over 220 million consumers and offered great investment opportunities in various sectors of its economy.

Zafar Bakhtawari, former President ICCI, said the business community is hopeful that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar will soon conclude a deal with the IMF that will enable Pakistan to cope with its current economic crisis.

He urged the government to work hard to end the country’s reliance on foreign loans and make it self-sufficient and assured that the business community would fully support in achieving this goal.

Atadjan Movlamov, Ambassador of Turkmenistan, Yerzhan Kistafin Ambassador of Kazakhstan, Khazar Farhadov Ambassador of Azerbaijan, Ulanbek Totuiaev Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan, Dr Mehmet Pacaci Ambassador of Turkey, Adam M Tugio Ambassador of Indonesia, Dr Ramez Alraee, Ambassador of Syria, and diplomats of many other countries including Saudi Arabia, Australia, Malaysia, Poland, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Republic of Turkish Northern Cyprus attended the Iftar dinner.

They appreciated the ICCI for hosting a magnificent Iftar dinner for them.

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Finance Minister Meets With World Leaders at World Economic Forum in Davos

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During his attendance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has met with officials of organisations and leaders of many nations.
Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor, Muhammad Younas, met with Mohammad Aurangzeb.
On the fringes of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting 2025 Opening Banquet, there was an informal meeting.
Additionally, the Finance Minister met with Anwar Ibrahim, the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Both leaders discussed economic cooperation and bilateral ties.
Muhammad Aurangzeb also had a meeting with Dp World’s Rizwan Soomro and Yuvraj Narayan.
They talked about how to strengthen Pakistan’s logistics and infrastructure systems to support trade.
“The Pakistani government is committed to advancing joint projects and values partnerships in both business-to-business and business-to-government cooperation,” the finance minister added.

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China will establish a $250 million EV production facility in Pakistan.

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As Islamabad looks to Beijing to work with it to establish industrial zones for the production of electronic vehicles, the media said Wednesday that China’s ADM Group would invest $250 million to establish an electric vehicle manufacturing unit in Pakistan.

With an even more ambitious target of 90 percent by 2040, the Pakistani government established the National Electric Vehicles Policy (NEVP) in 2019 with the goal of having 30 percent of all passenger cars and heavy-duty trucks be electric by 2030.

By 2030, the policy aimed to achieve 50% of new sales for two- and three-wheelers and buses, and by 2040, 90%.

As part of the Special Investment Facilitation Council’s efforts to draw in foreign investment, Radio Pakistan reported that the Chinese company ADM Group had announced an investment of $250 million to establish an EV manufacturing plant in Pakistan.

“The switch to EVs is anticipated to save billions of dollars by reducing the cost of fuel imports.”

More than 3,000 electric vehicle charging stations will be installed throughout Pakistan, a South Asian nation, as part of ADM Group’s $350 million investment in the EV industry last year.

Pakistan announced earlier this month that, as part of its ongoing energy sector reform aimed at increasing demand, it would reduce the power rate for operators of electric vehicle charging stations by 45 percent.

Additionally, financial programs for e-bikes and the conversion of gasoline-powered two- and three-wheeled vehicles are planned by the government.

On January 15, the government approved a lower tariff of 39.70 rupees ($0.14) per unit, which will take effect in a month. The previous tariff was 71.10 rupees.

The government anticipates that investors in the industry will see an internal rate of return of over 20 percent.

There are currently over 30 million two- and three-wheeled cars in Pakistan, and they use more than $5 billion worth of petroleum each year, according to a report that Power Ministry adviser Ammar Habib Khan provided to the government and that was covered by Reuters.

The paper estimates that the ministry will save around $165 million in gasoline import expenses each year by converting 1 million two-wheelers to electric motorcycles in a first phase, at an estimated net cost of 40,000 rupees per bike.

In September, BYD Pakistan, a joint venture between China’s BYD and the Pakistani automaker Mega Motors, informed Reuters that, in accordance with international goals, up to 50% of all vehicles purchased in Pakistan by 2030 will be electrified in some way.

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The government has introduced a comprehensive strategy to enhance industrial investment.

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Authorities are poised to execute an ambitious investment promotion strategy through a collaborative initiative between the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) and the Pakistan Administrative Staff College, aiming for substantial enhancements in industrial investment and economic development.

The Special Investment Facilitation Center (SIFC) will be instrumental in this transformative drive by establishing “Business Facilitation Centers” aimed at optimizing investment processes and attracting both domestic and foreign capital.

Principal features of the comprehensive plan encompass:

  1. Forming collaborative working groups to augment domestic and international investment prospects
  2. Formulating a comprehensive strategy to eradicate obstacles to industrial development
  3. Formulating a novel model to tackle issues in the execution of industrial projects
  4. Striving to enhance Pakistan’s international business rating by 50 points
    Targeting $20 billion in foreign industrial investments within the next five years.

The approach prioritizes digital transformation to enhance the transparency and efficiency of the investment process. SIFC’s strategy emphasizes fostering a favorable atmosphere for investors by streamlining bureaucratic processes and offering strategic assistance.

National administration officers are conducting ongoing study to identify and mitigate potential investment barriers, while a specialized research group is formulating a comprehensive strategy to solve current hurdles in industrial growth.

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