ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s exports of goods increased by 18 percent to $25.3 billion during the last fiscal year, said the commerce ministry on Thursday, adding it was the highest growth rate recorded in the country’s history.
The ministry informed that the export of services during FY21 had been projected at $5.9 billion, implying that Pakistan’s overall exports had surpassed $31 billion.
“This is a remarkable achievement by our exporters considering the difficulties created by COVID-19 at home and resultant contractions in our major markets,” the prime minister’s advisor on commerce, Abdul Razak Dawood, said in a statement.
“It was not an easy task as many countries went into lockdown which severely affected the business,” he continued. “Not only our exports survived the crisis but also we enhanced them in many sectors. I salute our exporters on achieving the milestone.”
Meanwhile, the commerce ministry maintained the government had taken several measures to improve industrial competitiveness by rationalizing customs duty and other tariff forms.
“Since 2018-19, tariff on more than 4,000 inputs (i.e. raw materials, intermediate and capital goods) have been rationalized,” it said in the official statement. “As a result, almost 40 percent of total inputs in terms of number of tariff lines as well as value of imports are at zero percent duty.”
The ministry maintained it would continue with the tariff reforms in the coming years.
“With the current measures exports are expected to grow by five percent in the next two years,” said the statement.
Exports increase by 18% in highest ever growth recorded in Pakistan's history
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Exports increase by 18% in highest ever growth recorded in Pakistan's history
- The commerce ministry maintains this is the highest ever growth rate recorded in the country’s history
- The government expects a further increase of five percent in Pakistan’s exports in the next two years
Curfew extended in Gilgit-Baltistan, probe ordered after deadly Khamenei protests
- At least 15 people were killed in clashes with law enforcement agencies over the weekend in Gilgit-Baltistan
- Government also announces a de-weaponization campaign, crackdown on hate speech and cybercrime in region
ISLAMABAD: The government in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region on Tuesday extended a curfew in Gilgit district and ordered a judicial probe into violent protests over the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes last week, an official said.
At least 15 people were killed in clashes with law enforcement agencies over the weekend in GB, where protesters torched and vandalized several buildings, including United Nations regional offices, an army-run school, software technology park and a local charity building.
The violence prompted regional authorities to impose curfew in Gilgit and Skardu districts on March 2-4 as officials urged people to stay indoors and cooperate with law enforcers, amid widespread anger in Pakistan, particularly among members of the Shiite minority, over Khamenei’s killing.
On Tuesday, the GB government convened to review the situation and announced the extension of curfew in Gilgit among a number of security measures as well as ordered the establishment of a judicial commission to investigate the weekend violence in the region.
“The government has made it clear that the law will strictly take its course against elements involved in vandalism at government institutions, private properties and incidents of vandalism in Gilgit and Skardu and no kind of mischief will be tolerated,” Shabbir Mir, a GB government spokesperson, said in a statement.
“In view of the security situation, curfew will remain in force in Gilgit, while the decision to extend the curfew in Skardu will be taken keeping the ground realities and the changing situation in view.”
The statement did not specify how long the curfew will remain in place in Gilgit.
Besides the formation of the judicial commission to investigate the violent clashes, the government also decided to launch a large-scale de-weaponization campaign in the entire Gilgit district, for which relevant institutions have been directed to immediately complete all necessary arrangements, according to Mir.
In addition, a crackdown has been ordered on hate speech, spread of fake news and cybercrime.
“The aim of these decisions is to ensure the rule of law, protect the lives and property of citizens and crack down on miscreants,” he said. “Approval has also been given to immediately survey the affected infrastructure and start their restoration work on priority basis.”
Demonstrators in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi also stormed the US Consulate on Sunday, smashing windows and attempting to burn the building. Police responded with batons, tear gas, and gunfire, leaving 10 people dead and more than 50 injured.
Pakistani authorities have since beefed up security at US diplomatic missions across the country, including around the US consulate building in Peshawar, to avoid any further violence.
