Karachi, June 07, 2023 (PPI-OT): Former President of Pakistan and President Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians Asif Ali Zardari was the chief guest at an event organized by the Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FPCCI) Lahore on Wednesday. Asif Ali Zardari in his address said that this is the place where he has been before as well. He said that the business community has seen the PPP government perform in the past. It may be not the best but as compared to other governments, the PPP government was better than all of them. It was not enough and we could do even better.
He said that he believes that Pakistan has to have double digit exports and that does not mean 20 billion but 200 billion. We lack nothing and we do not need to have foreign investors rather we can do ourselves. There are big businessmen in Punjab and when they will invest we will guarantee their investments. He said that he remembers one sentence of Mahathir Mohamad who said that tax the people after making them rich.
He said that we cannot juice out of the people who are already taxed. How long that businessman will survive. The economy is not for 5 to 10 years but for the coming generations. If your export is 250 or 300 billion, then you will forget what expenses are on what sectors. If our businessmen are not earning, then how they can pay taxes. We have to get above this mind-set. In Sindh whenever we get the opportunity we increase the support price of the grain. This gives our growers money in their pocket and we save dollars in buying wheat from abroad. When I increase the prices of commodities in Sindh, then it increases all over Pakistan. The federal governments do not like it and become angry. We do not have enough dollars to import wheat.
President Zardari said that the Sindh government built seven bridges on River Indus and all were built under Public-Private Partnership. Sindh has gone into P.P.P. even in the roads. The concept is the politicians make policies and the businesses are done by the public. I spent over eight years in jails in Punjab so I am more of a Lahori than any other place. Let’s sit down for charter of economy and let’s talk to each other. Let’s sit down for next generations.
The Silk Road is thousands of years old business route but it came to my mind to build Gwadar Port. If we make Gwadar Port operational, China saves 20 to 25 billion dollars and bring oil from Gwadar to central China. The port cities of China are developed not the main land China. That is where the opportunity to build the central China and make 5 to 6 billion dollars. The buses in Karachi do not belong to the government but to the private own transport. If they are running the buses so obviously they are making money.
Everything in the world is made by the private sector not the public sector. Public ownership is colonial idea. Dams are used for agriculture sector. I want to produce electricity from running canals not dams. The electricity from canal could be given to the villagers. We have gas in Sindh. I have to provide cheap input to the industries. The businessmen’ duty is to hold my policy and those are implemented.
Asif Ali Zardari said that the death is a reality but you are remembered for what you do. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto is remembered for she did. I will be remembered for Benazir Card, the 18th amendment in the constitution, gave presidential power to the parliament. No one gives up power in this world. No one asked me to give up my power. I was making history.
We lost our founder, his sons, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto was warned not to come but she returned to the country and said that the Pakistani flag will be hoisted in Swat. When we were in power brother Muslim countries voted for war but Pakistan abstained. I told them that Pakistan has four million Afghan refugees and I know what happens in wars. We have to think collectively and the same goes for business community. I ask you to give your thought and energy for my policies to be implemented.
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