ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has rolled out the ambitious economic reforms package dubbed as "Uraan Pakistan," aimed at boosting growth and improving lives of the masses.

The five-year National Economic Transformation plan aims to achieve sustainable export-led economic growth based on 5Es: exports, e-Pakistan, environment, energy, equity, and empowerment.

The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, federal ministers, Balochistan and KP governors, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, provincial ministers, diplomats, businessmen, and experts.

"Today is a great day," PM Shehbaz said in his opening remarks while addressing the ceremony in Islamabad yesterday. The premier said that they have just listen to a "remarkable and brilliant" narration from the finance minister, planning minister and deputy prime minister along way very informative presentation."

The crux is that in the last nine months we negotiated huge challenges and difficulties and through untiring efforts of the federal government provincial governments and our international partners and friends, we have been able to achieve macro economic stability but this is just the beginning of a long journey which would entail sacrifice, blood and sweat to achieve economic growth and finding our lost place among nations," he added.

The premier stressed that this requires Pakistan to put its hands together and march forward with unity of thought and action.

He also congratulated Ahsan Iqbal, Muhammad Aurangzeb and the entire federal cabinet and federal officials, secretaries, SIFC, and provincial chief ministers and the governments for their "great support and cooperation to carve out this homegrown programme."

"During the journey from default to development and from stable economy to strong economy, we witnessed several phases and faced difficulties," he said.

"When Pakistan was on the verge of collapse, we under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif, and our coalition partners agreed that they would sacrifice their politics for national interest," he said.

In 2023, the prime minister said, when the government was making all-out efforts to secure an International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme but "letters were penned down for obstructing it".

However, he added, the government successfully achieved the IMF programme and the rest if history. He noted that the government also secured another IMF programme, which he reiterated, would be the last of the country.

PM Shehbaz said that it was a moment to mull why the country had to resort to another IMF package, pointing out the losses of state-owned enterprises, the circular deficit and corruption.

Published in The Daily National Courier, January, 01 2025

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