ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has urged the business community to employ persons with disabilities and women, and improve their business skills so as to empower them financially.

He emphasised the need for facilitating differently-abled people by providing them easy access to buildings and workplaces, the president’s media office said.

The president made these remarks, while talking to a delegation of the Entrepreneurs Organisation led by its president of Lahore Chapter Mohsin Khawaja, at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

The president said the government was taking every possible measure to provide a level-playing field to the business community and entrepreneurs.

The business sector of the country needed to adopt an outward-looking approach and remain abreast of the changing trends in the international markets, enabling them to compete in regional and global markets,; he added.

President Alvi highlighted that the main focus of the government’s economic strategy was to enhance the country’s exports, reduce the trade deficit and support the underprivileged sections of the society.

The investment policy of the country has been designed to provide a comprehensive framework for creating a conducive business environment and attracting foreign investors, he said, adding that the ease of doing business reforms, initiated by the government, has led to improving Pakistan’s ranking in the global Ease of Doing Business Index from 108 to 136.

Khawaja said that the Entrepreneurs Organisation was playing an active role in the economic development of the country. The delegation apprised the meeting about its contribution in exports and providing employment to the people.

It expressed satisfaction over the economic policies of the government and lauded its business and investment-friendly policies. The delegation also briefed the president about certain problems being faced by them.

The president assured the delegation to take their grievances up with the relevant quarters for redressal.

He urged the delegation to play a proactive role in increasing the country’s exports through value-addition and enhancing access to the global markets.

He also asked the Entrepreneurs Organisation to play its role in encouraging the business community to pay their taxes.