ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister (Prime Minister) Imran Khan said agriculture is the lifeblood of the Pakistani economy because it contributes about 18.5% to GDP, provides a livelihood for 64% of rural residents and employs 38.5% of the total national workforce.
The sector has direct and indirect links with other sectors of the economy and plays an important role in the socio-economic development of the country. “We have turned the flow of development funds into Southern Punjab, which has been neglected for the past seventy years,” the Prime Minister spoke with the renowned agriculturalist and reformer Khawaja Jalal-ud-Din Roomi at Bani Gala.
On this occasion, Khawaja Jalal-ud-Din Roomi said that Pakistan is not immune from the economic shock caused by the coronavirus and its exports have been heavily affected, but four actions by the current government to accelerate Pakistan’s export recovery have miraculously taken place. The policy rate, electricity and gas subsidies, the elimination of low-interest loans and the elimination of low-interest loans for the revival of the industry, and the increase in foreign currency transfers strengthened foreign currency reserves in excess of USD 13 billion.
Roomi urged the business community to join the Prime Minister’s Housing Program wholeheartedly in order to eliminate the negative impact on Pakistan’s economy. Thereupon, the Prime Minister said that the COVID-19 outbreak has brought major changes in the way they interact, consume, and produce. Last May, the country recorded commodity exports of $ 1.39 billion, the lowest figure in years and a 34 percent drop from a year ago. But now the demand for our products is increasing day by day and our export sector was operating 24 hours a day.
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Roomi said it was the sound of the clock that we had to divide the crop into zones and strictly enforce the zoning criteria according to the Prime Minister’s agricultural vision, because neglecting and violating the territory has badly affected the cotton crop. He said that the cotton crop plays an important role in the national economy. He expressed concern over the gap between cotton production in different parts of the country and regretted that the region had been neglected by previous governments in terms of new seed harvesting, the promotion of technology, the adaptation of modern agricultural techniques, and financial aid to farmers.
He stated that the lack of interest in cotton cultivation not only caused a gradual decline in production and deterred farmers, but also affected the textile industry and exports. He offered some incentives such as the announcement of the “Phutti” support price, the provision of certified seeds, fertilizers, and subsidized electricity to attract cotton producers.
At this meeting, Khawaja Jalal-ud-Din Roomi informed the Prime Minister that we are running a series of programs for the supply of treated drinking water in Sindh, Baluchistan and Southern Punjab, as well as providing life-saving medicines to different hospitals in Southern Punjab. Similarly, we are engaged in promoting education in the backward regions of Southern Punjab where we provide scholarships to bright students as well as proving free books, bags, and uniforms so that resourceless children can study easily. Prime Minister, I am aware that by promoting education, we can eradicate ignorance, ignorance and poverty.
Khawaja Jalal-ud-Din Roomi told the Prime Minister that we were working hand in hand with the government and local government during the epidemic “COVID-19” and provided maximum protection material to frontline paramedics and the general public. This cooperation has eased the misery of the people as well as endorsing the government’s strategy. The Prime Minister then said that he was fully aware of his commitment during the first wave of epidemics that terrified the entire nation. He said that the distribution of food and ration among people in need properly developed a new spirit among people.
Khawaja Jalal-ud-Din Roomi said that farmers and industrialists are looking to the government to resolve their grievances and have taken bold steps to save the agriculture and industry hit by the epidemic. He said that our hopes are tied to Imran Khan, who is fully aware of the problems faced by the business world and farmers and takes the necessary precautions seriously. The Prime Minister appreciated Khawaja Jalal-ud-Din Roomi’s spirit of serving humanity and said Pakistan needs open-minded and community-friendly people to alleviate its problems that can help both humanity and the government.