Dear Friends.
Please find attached interview of VP ICCI.
Anyone can use it.
Regards.
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No progress sans modern transportation: Shinwari
Islamabad: Shahid Zaman Shinwari, Vice President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has said that government efforts to realise goal of prosperity cannot be accomplished until we have a sound and modern transport system.
Pakistan should be fast moving towards enhanced and cost-effective nation-wide connectivity which is possible through opening up of transport and communication sectors for foreign private investment, he said.
Shinwari said that linking Pakistan with China, India, Afghanistan, Central Asian and South Asian countries with road and railway networks should remain prime agenda of the government.
He said that present fiscal constraints and reduced development budget the program is likely to take much longer for its implementation of plans which will delay substantial networking intended to facilitate connectivity.
Shahid Zaman Shinwari said that transportation is imperative to integrate urban and rural economy, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and urban wholesale, retail and warehousing sectors with port cities.
Government should enhance allocation to improve highways, modernise Pakistan Railways and expanding its tracks up to Afghanistan and Iran, improving ports, airports and providing other facilities to improve bilateral trade otherwise prosperity will remain a dream.
The business leader said that government should open infrastructure for private sector investment to reduce the cost of doing business and making Pakistani products more competitive internationally.
The current dismal performance of the transport sector costs the economy around 4 to 6 per cent of the GDP annually.
Pakistan's total overland trade demand is likely to touch 160 billion ton-km by 2012 which calls for achieving a level of connectivity that can supplement economic growth in the long run, he said.
Shinwari said MFN with India will help improve ranking of some Pakistani cities in terms of trading across borders which are presently ranked lower in the World Bank's Doing Business report due to distance from ports which may improve after enhance trade through land routes.
He said that importing or exporting a container from Lahore or Peshawar through port required 9 documents and 20-22 days; the same processes need 7 documents and14 days in Malaysia and while in Singapore all it take is 4 documents and 5 days.
No wonder Pakistan ranked 73rd in the quality of port infrastructure while Sri Lanka ranked 43rd, he informed.
Welcoming expansion on the positive list by Islamabad, he said that it would appropriate to reduce delivery time is reduced through investment in infrastructure, transportation, additional border stations, testing and warehousing facilities, simple procedures and reduced paperwork.
Trade is the only way to reduce political tensions which will improve living standards of majority of world's poor living in the region, said Shinwari.
Munawar Mughal
Chairman, Founder Group, ICCI,
Member Managing Committee, FPCCI,
Former President ICCI,
Former Chairman FPCCI Capital Office,
Ph Off: 051-2253145 & 2250526.
Tariq Khattak, Islamabad, Pakistan.
GSM = 0300-9599007 and 0333-9599007
Email: Tariqgulkhattak@gmail.com
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