KARACHI: Sindh Governor Muhammad Nehal Hashmi has urged the business community to play a greater role in politics and governance, saying investors have long complained about being excluded from the policymaking process.
“We are ready to give the business community not just 50 per cent but 100 per cent participation in government. Join political parties, contest elections, earn the public’s mandate and play your rightful role in shaping national policies,” the governor said while addressing industrialists at the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI).
Hashmi said Pakistan’s progress depended on constructive policymaking and continuity of economic policies, adding that frequent changes in policy direction had hindered the country’s development. Referring to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, he said the PML-N leader entered politics as a young businessman and initiated major infrastructure projects, including the country’s motorway network, while pursuing economic reforms.
The governor described the business community as the backbone of the economy, saying industrialists create employment opportunities and contribute to economic growth. He expressed the hope that Pakistani entrepreneurs will emerge as global investors and help increase the country’s exports.
He said that following the country’s success in the ‘Battle for Truth’ (‘Marka-e-Haq’), Pakistan must now unite to win the ‘Battle for the Economy’ (‘Marka-e-Maeeshat’) by strengthening industrial and economic activity.
Hashmi said he has already forwarded recommendations from the business community to the prime minister and proposed that a federal cabinet meeting be held in Karachi so that federal ministers could directly hear and address issues faced by the industrial sector.
The governor assured industrialists that the Governor House will remain accessible to the business community and pledged continued support in resolving their concerns. He said he has personally witnessed deteriorating infrastructure and encroachments in industrial areas, including the Sindh Industrial Trading Estate (SITE), and has brought these issues to the attention of the federal government.
He also expressed support for lower petroleum prices and stressed that the establishment of additional oil refineries in Pakistan will help strengthen the country’s energy sector.
Praising KATI Patron-in-Chief SM Tanveer, Hashmi said he sees “a ray of hope” in Tanveer’s vision for Pakistan’s economy and expressed confidence that the industrial community would continue to play a leading role in economic development.Addressing the gathering, Tanveer said that after achieving success in the ‘Marka-e-Haq’, the country must now focus on winning the ‘Marka-e-Maeeshat’.
He said that if the government transferred industrial land associated with Pakistan Steel Mills to private investors, the business community will develop roads, electricity infrastructure, utilities and modern industrial facilities using its own resources. This, he added, will contribute to higher exports, investment and employment generation.
Tanveer said investors are prepared to make large-scale investments in Pakistan’s industrial sector, provided the government ensured policy continuity and provided practical support to the private sector.
Earlier, KATI President Muhammad Ikram Rajput welcomed the Sindh governor and said the Korangi Industrial Zone is one of Pakistan’s key economic hubs, providing employment to nearly two million people. However, he said the area’s infrastructure has deteriorated significantly and required urgent federal intervention.
He urged the government to allocate special development funds for the Korangi Industrial Area and requested the governor to take up the matter with relevant authorities.
Rajput also called for greater representation of the business community in government to improve economic policymaking. He highlighted the severe water shortage affecting industries, saying industrialists are being forced to purchase water through tanker services at high costs.
He proposed the establishment of a permanent Business Desk at the Governor House where federal ministers and secretaries could regularly meet industrialists, address their concerns and resolve issues locally, reducing the need for frequent visits to Islamabad.
