ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will apprise the nation about the government’s performance during its first 100 days in office on Thursday. He is expected to speak about the progress made vis-a-vis targets set by him after coming to power.
Mr Khan reviewed the PTI-led government’s performance at a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday. The Prime Minister’s Adviser on Establishment Mohammad Shahzad Arbab briefed the meeting on the six-pronged 100-day plan.
A source in the PM Office told Dawn that the adviser apprised the prime minister of the targets achieved so far as well as future milestones. The source said the prime minister expressed satisfaction over the achievements made under the plan and approved it after a thorough review.
Imran Khan expresses satisfaction over achievements made under 100-day plan
The 100-day plan mainly focused on six points — transforming governance, strengthening the federation, revitalising economic growth, developing agriculture and conserving water, revolutionising social service and ensuring national security.
The prime minister spent a busy day on Tuesday and presided over several meetings.
A delegation of Coca Cola Company Pakistan and bottling partners Coca-Cola Içecek Turkey, led by regional director from Turkey Orhun Kostem, called on the prime minister and briefed him on the company’s existing investment of $500 million in the country and future plans of $200m investment over the next two to three years that would create new jobs, support ancillary industries and help the government earn incremental revenue through taxes.
According to a press release issued by the PM Office, the prime minister assured the delegation of all possible support in taking advantage of investment-friendly policies of the present government.
The delegation also discussed issues related to taxes and black economy that hamper industry’s growth.
A delegation of Suzuki Motors Corporation headed by its global chairman Osamu Suzuki and comprising Kinji Saito, Masafumi Harano, Shigeo Takezawa, Yusuke Katto and Shafiq A. Shaikh also met the prime minister. Ambassador of Japan Takashi Kurai was also present.
The delegation briefed the prime minister on the existing investment of Suzuki Motors Corporation and future investment plans in the country, including construction of a second plant to manufacture additional 100,000 vehicles per year.
The prime minister, while appreciating contribution of Suzuki Motors in the automobile sector, said his government was committed to private sector development, investment promotion, improving ease of doing business and growth of the manufacturing sector.
Prime Minister Khan also chaired a meeting to discuss the potential of and issues related to livestock, backyard poultry, small and medium dairy farms and agriculture produce markets in the country.
The meeting was informed that there was a huge potential in the livestock sector, especially the export of meat to China and the Gulf countries. It was told that establishment of foot-and-mouth disease (FMT) free zones in the country and incentivising saving and calf fattening programmes could significantly help in realising the country’s potential in the livestock sector.
The meeting discussed issues relating to agriculture produce markets and exploitation of farmers by the monopolies created due to dysfunctional market committees. It was briefed on plans to put in place legal framework, upgrade 76 agriculture produce markets in 24 districts with infrastructure development, relocate nine markets and establish six new markets over the next five years.
Prime Minister Khan directed that a comprehensive plan be chalked out to resolve the issues being faced by the livestock sector. He approved a proposal for establishment of a model agriculture produce market in Lahore which would be replicated in other parts of the country to facilitate farmers.
Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2018