Qureshi hopes PTI govt will stabilise economy

ISLAMABAD: Terming stabilising the country’s economy a big challenge, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday expressed the hope that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf led government would succeed in overcoming the financial challenges facing the country.

“Economic stability is a big challenge but we will succeed,” he said while addressing Business Leaders Summit in Islamabad. “Pakistan is hopeful about its future. If we serve [the country] well, the economy will go up.”

The minister said the PTI government had taken multiple steps to boost GDP growth rate and reduce the fiscal deficit since it assumed power last year in August.

He said poverty alleviation was the top priority of Prime Minister Imran Khan, adding that Pakistan could accomplish a lot because of its geo-strategic location in the region.

Expressing gratitude to the European Union over Pakistan’s GSP Plus status, Qureshi said Islamabad and EU were going to sign an agreement this month.

He said the government wanted to take the business community along for the betterment of the economy.

Lauding Finance Minister Asad Umar, the foreign minister said the former had taken a lot of steps for economic uplift during the last six months.

About the Afghan peace process, he said Pakistan was extending full cooperation to the United States in peace talks with Taliban. “We are making efforts for peace in Afghanistan. We hope that the situation will improve with the Afghan peace process.”

Commenting on relations with India, he said Prime Minister Imran Khan, after assuming the charge, offered New Delhi an olive branch and asked for a meeting of the foreign ministers of both the countries on the sidelines of UN General Assembly to resolve all outstanding issues between the two countries through dialogue.

He said that India didn’t reciprocate Pakistan’s peace gestures.