WEF’s Strategy Dialogue: ‘We saved country’s economy during virus crisis’, PM

Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan addresses that Country Strategy Dialogue (CSD) on Pakistan, organized by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in recognition of the country’s commendable resilience to the myriad of challenges.

While speaking to the forum, PM Imran said the country had opened the construction sector and as the work was done in the open air so the virus couldn’t spread.

Detailing about the Ehsaas Programme, the premier said that 15 million families were given cash handouts and it really saved Pakistan from the worst effects of lockdowns.

“Because the people were with us, they complied with our measures we came out of it better than any other country,” the premier said.

He further added that we saved our economy and we save people from dying from the virus.

The Prime Minister went on to add that he was “worried” as the second wave had it the country. “We don’t know how long will this wave last.”

“In our country with high levels of poverty, we cannot afford to [impose] a lockdown where we [close] our businesses and factories,” he said.

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Speaking about the two “biggest” challenges that his government faced when they came into power, he said: “The fiscal deficit — the biggest in our country’s history — and the current account deficit that was also a challenge.”

Speaking about money laundering, he said that his government had clamped down on launderers, and as a result, after 17 years, Pakistan had a current account surplus in the last quarter.

The prime minister will also participate in an interactive dialogue with WEF President Børge Brende, and chairpersons and chief executive officers (CEOs) of leading global corporations and WEF partner companies, read the FO statement.

Subsequent sessions of the day-long CSD will feature discussions of global business leaders with Adviser on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Minister for Economic Affairs Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, and Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar, on wide-ranging subjects, including economy, finance, investment, trade, manufacturing, digitalization and startups, regional connectivity and China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) etc.