ISLAMABAD: On the National Minority Day, Saturday Aug. 11, the Pakistani leadership appreciated the contribution of religious minorities and vowed the equality and protection of the rights for minorities.
“August 11, is a special day in our national calendar, when we reaffirm our commitment to the ideals of Quaid-e-Azam (the founder of Pakistan) to continue strive for the protection of the rights of followers of all faiths and bring them into the mainstream of national life,” caretaker Prime Minister Nasir-ul Mulk said in his message.
He added: “History reveals that the Muslims always strived for the rights of minorities.
“Let us reiterate today that we will uphold the ideals of equal rights and complete freedom to every citizen to freely profess and practice his or her religion.”
The prime minister said the Pakistani nation greatly appreciates and acknowledges the huge contributions made by our minorities toward the country’s socio-economic development. “Being equal citizens of Pakistan, we share our joys and sorrows jointly. The observance of this day reflects our national commitment to unite and to integrate people of all faiths in the national life.”
In a separate message President Mamnoon Hussain said Aug. 11 was the day to reiterate this national cause and renewal of political resolve.
He said several attempts had been made in the past to harm national unity by inciting communal differences, but he was satisfied that such unfortunate incidents were totally rejected by the minority community.
“This is the strength of Pakistani society, which has helped the State in eliminating such miscreant elements,” the president said.
Pakistan observes national minority day, vows to protect their rights
Pakistan observes national minority day, vows to protect their rights
- Prime minister said Pakistani nation appreciates and acknowledges huge contributions made by minorities toward country’s socio-economic development
- Government vowed to uphold equal rights and complete freedom to every citizen to freely profess and practice his or her religion
UK says Pakistan regulatory overhaul to yield £1 billion a year as Islamabad launches reform drive
- Britain says it worked with Pakistan on 472 proposed reforms to streamline business rules across key sectors
- PM Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan has stabilized economy and now aims to attract investment by cutting red tape
ISLAMABAD: Britain’s development minister Jenny Chapman said on Saturday Pakistan’s sweeping new regulatory overhaul could generate economic gains of nearly £1 billion a year, as Islamabad formally launched the reform package aimed at cutting red tape and attracting foreign investment.
The initiative, driven by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government and the Board of Investment, aims to introduce legislative changes and procedural reforms designed to streamline approvals, digitize documentation and remove outdated business regulations.
Chapman said the UK had worked with Pakistan on 472 reform proposals as part of its support to help the country shift from economic stabilization to sustained growth.
“These reforms will break down barriers to investment, eliminate more than 600,000 paper documents, and save over 23,000 hours of labor every year for commercial approvals,” Chapman said at the launch ceremony in the presence of Sharif and his team. “The first two packages alone could have an economic impact of up to 300 billion Pakistani rupees annually — nearly one billion pounds — with more benefits to come.”
Addressing the ceremony, the prime minister said the reforms were central to Pakistan’s effort to rebuild investor confidence after the country narrowly avoided financial default in recent years.
“Our economy was in a very difficult situation when we took office,” he said. “But we did not lose hope, and today Pakistan is economically out of the woods. Now we are focused on growing our economy and attracting foreign investment.”
He described the new regulatory framework as a “quantum jump” that would reduce corruption, speed up approvals and remove longstanding procedural hurdles that have discouraged businesses.
Chapman told the audience that more than 200 British companies operate in Pakistan, with the largest six contributing around one percent of Pakistan’s GDP.
She said the UK saw Pakistan as a partner rather than a recipient of aid.
“Modern partners work together not as donors but as investors, bringing all our strengths to the table,” she said, adding that the reforms would make Pakistani exports more competitive and encourage UK firms to expand their footprint.
Sharif highlighted the role of the British Pakistani diaspora and said Pakistan hoped to unlock more private capital by engaging diaspora entrepreneurs and financial institutions in the UK.
