Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday urged his cabinet members to immediately commence work towards achieving the targets set in a five-year roadmap as shared with all the relevant ministries.
Chairing cabinet meeting today, the premier expressed the firm resolve to transform the country's economic landscape.
PM Shehbaz said he has shared broad parameters of a five-year plan with all the ministries, specifying their targets.
He emphasized that the ministries would have to devise strategies to achieve these targets. He said that progress of the ministries on these targets will also be reviewed regularly.
“We have to cut our expenditures and take the country towards self-reliance,” the premier urged.
Expressing the determination to uplift various sectors such as agriculture and information technology, the prime minister said we have to take the country on the growth trajectory and create employment opportunities.
He was confident that the ministry of commerce would take the requisite steps to double the country's exports before five years period of current government.
“Strict action will be taken against illegal trade, power theft and other leakages,” PM Shehbz asserted.
The prime minister said that a programme has been chalked out for the complete digitalization of the Federal Boad of Revenue (FBR) and consultants will be hired for this purpose by next month.
Alluding to the Besham incident which claimed the lives of five Chinese engineers and one Pakistani, PM Shehbaz said that anti-Pakistan elements, which are against strong bonds between China-Pakistan relations, are behind this despicable attack.
He said the people and government of Pakistan stand with Chinese friends at this hour of grief.
PM Shehbaz recounted that he had visited the Chinese embassy and conveyed to the Chinese President, Premier and the Chinese people their condolences on behalf of the entire Pakistani nation.
“The Chinese leadership was assured that the investigation would be carried out immediately and the responsible would get exemplary punishment,” he added.
PM Shehbaz reaffirmed the determination to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country.
Paying tributes to the sacrifices of the security personnel, the prime minister said the defence of Pakistan is impregnable.
"Those rendering lives for the security of the homeland are our heroes," he said.
PM Shehbaz assured that resources would be provided to fulfill the requirements of the security forces.