ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday directed authorities to formulate an integrated transport plan for roads, railways, and shipping to complement and integrate all transport sectors.
The directives were issued by the federal minister while chairing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure which was attended by the authorities of ministry of communication, Railways, Ports and Shipping, National Highway Authority (NHA) and Civil Aviation.
Iqbal directed officials to ensure that all transport projects should be completed within the prescribed timelines and a clear roadmap should be developed for it. He suggested to hold cabinet committee meeting on infrastructure in every month for smooth working and coordination.
He said that chief ministers have showed their confidence on the progress of several projects in China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) summit held on 29th August.
During the meeting, he stressed to ensure holding of meeting of joint working group on transport before 6th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) which is agreed to be held in the last week of November this week.
NHA chairman informed the meeting that he recently visited most of the projects being constructed under the CPEC to determine appropriate deliverables on stipulated time.
ADDRESS TO NATIONAL MANAGEMENT COURSE
Meanwhile addressing participants of National Management Course (NMC) , the minister said that civil servants have to play a key role to keep the growth momentum after country achieved macroeconomic stabilization
He said that Pakistan need to become a competitive economy by excelling in productivity, quality and innovation to achieve further economic growth.
Ahsan Iqbal further added that Pakistan is much better in 2016 than it was in 2013 which is evident by the improvement of indicators in social, economic, security and energy sector. He said that government was committed to bring Pakistan among top 25 economies of the world by 2025.
He said that international media was labelling Pakistan as the most dangerous country and safe heavens for terrorism but today the same media organisations and the world in are terming Pakistan as the investment destination and an emerging economy.
He said that the 20th century had belonged to political ideologies but today is the era of political economy, economic stability and inclusive growth.
