ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal has emphasized the need to adopt an export-oriented strategy for economic growth by strengthening seaports and shipping services in the country. “This is the only way to achieve national prosperity and ensure sovereignty,” he said in a televised address while chairing a meeting of the prime minister’s committee to look into the logistical problems faced by seaports in Karachi. The meeting was attended by key stakeholders including the Secretary for Maritime Affairs, the Minister for Railways and members of the Planning Commission. He called for supporting the national growth strategy by making sustainability a top priority, noting that as growth rates increase, there will be pressure on imports, which requires ample foreign exchange. Emphasizing the importance of logistics services in promoting exports, the minister promised to make the country’s seaports efficient and effective with express container delivery services in collaboration with the private sector. Referring to the World Bank’s Container Competitiveness Report 2022, which reviewed 350 seaports and ranked Karachi and Bin Qasim ports at number 84 and 90, he expressed firm determination to include Pakistan’s seaports in the top 50 list equipped with “fastest handling services”. .” He emphasized the need for Pakistani goods to be transported by Pakistani ships, making exports the centerpiece of the economy. He noted that all countries that have achieved export-led growth have ensured a smooth supply chain with efficient, competitive and speedy clearance services at their seaports. He directed the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to prepare an action plan to improve the efficiency of seaports and expedite handling services. Ahsan Iqbal stressed the importance of seizing the current opportunity, supported by a three-year “insurance policy” from the recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) program. The minister shared Pakistan’s 77-year struggle to adopt an export-oriented economic policy, citing past initiatives like Vision 2010 and Vision 2025, which fell victim to political instability. He emphasized that Pakistan could no longer afford uncertainty or destabilization as it embarked on a sustainable growth trajectory with key economic indicators showing positive results.
