ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Thursday said that today’s Pakistan carried a better image of improved law and order and economic situation as compared to the Pakistan of the year 2013.
Addressing the convocation of National Textile University (NTU) here at Jinnah Convention Centre, the president said the undeterred commitment of the nation and the government, along with joint efforts of the state institutions, had resulted in an overall improved situation. He also stressed that it was a need of the hour that the entire nation backed its government and national institutions to eliminate the causes of lawlessness and bring the perpetrators to justice.
He also said the country’s fiscal policies were being appreciated by international monetary ranking institutions and added that that textile industry in the past suffered a lot due to inappropriate policies and electricity shortages. He also expressed satisfaction that the government, under a comprehensive strategy, had overcome the electricity crisis to a great extent and the new power generation projects were being set up to meet future needs.
Mamnoon also said that self-sufficiency in electricity would promote the industrial sector, including textiles, and emphasised adoption of modern techniques based on research to match the requirements of the contemporary industrial world. He also said that the textile industry was the country’s backbone, making up to 65 per cent of the national economy.
He also said that Faisalabad had an extraordinary importance in this regard as it is the hub of trade and commerce. He added that due to his personal association with the textile industry in the past, he was aware of its related problems and had also suggested the finance minister to consider giving an ample subsidy to this industry.
He also said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would usher in a new era of progress in the country with the launch of several trade and development projects. He added that the CPEC would not only reduce China’s 10,500-kilometre trade route to 2,500 kilometres but would also provide Pakistan with the corridor’s service benefits.
The president also mentioned that he held meetings with the leaders of central Asians countries, who also expressed keen interest in joining the CPEC as their trade route. He also said the country’s textile sector had huge scope to benefit from the project and called upon the NTU to prepare their students to benefit from the opportunities offered by this mega project.
He termed youth as the leaders of the future who had a role to play for the country’s betterment, and felicitated the graduates of NTU and expressed confidence that they would better contribute to the textile industry with their expertise. The president also awarded gold medals to the graduates for their remarkable academic achievements.
