ISLAMABAD, Aug 21 (APP):Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC) Chief Mian Kashif Ashfaq welcoming Prime Minister Imran Khan’s pledged of cut spending, sweeping reforms and austerity measures hoped that the PTI incumbent government will take effective steps on all fronts and multi-pronged economic vision to enhance volume of export besides creating business friendly environment for foreign investment.
In his statement issued here Tuesday, he said a better economic team, coordination among ministries, wise and quick decisions to deal effectively with the looming economic crisis could bail the country out of the present complex position.
He said Imran Khan’s vision to boost export by giving all due support to business community is on one hand a very optimistic aspect and on the other hand, he expected that the PTI government put ban on the import of luxurious items including furniture.
“Another challenge of the new government is reducing imports which are burning over $1.5 billion per month, an unaffordable import bill for the economy,” he added.
He also said he is sanguine that the government would address the issues of the business community on war footing and address the demands of the business community to accelerate the economic activities and boost export besides launching across the board amnesty scheme to expedite the industrial growth in the country.
He said the businessmen and industrialists reposed their full confidence in government policies under his dynamic leadership.
“Our confidence had been increased further after meeting with the prime minister,” he added He said the traders and industrialists were playing a vital role for the promotion of businesses, industries, trade and investments in the country.
He said Imran was focused to extend every possible facility to the investors, industrialists, traders and businessmen.
He also conveyed to prime minister that if the government announced a special package for furniture producers, our furniture industry has potential to capture the world market.
Mian Kashif said they wanted to convey their message to the government quarters concerned that no durable and profitable trade policy can be made without consultation of the stakeholders of the concerned industry and if the government will take steps to boost furniture sector, PFC would extend all its support to materialize friendly legislation.
Welcoming Imran Khan’s announcement of planting 10 billion trees across the country within next five years, he said this would reduce e volume of importing softwood in furniture sector, which would help save billions of rupees in the form of foreign exchange.
He said the forest sector in Pakistan still has a multiple benefit potentials including generating huge revenues for public and private sectors, reduce environmental damage and threats to rural livelihoods if managed well.
PFC chief said they would support the government in a campaign for planting 10 billion trees and allocate special funds for this purpose. He said public-private enterprise in this regard is the best solution to increase forest area in the country.
