ISLAMABAD, 14 MAY, (DNA) – President Mamnoon Hussain has underlined the need to uproot corrupt elements from the system in order to ensure rapid development and progress in the country.

The President said this while addressing a ceremony of Kotri Association of Trade & Industry here on Saturday. Sindh Minister for Industry Muhammad Ali Malkani and others were also present on the occasion.

The President stated that the journey of national progress was satisfactory until 1970s but afterwards the pace of development was stunted because of corruption. The President observed that the country had no shortage of talented and capable people but corruption and favoritism affected the performance.

President Mamnoon said that Pakistan is a great country and called for making concerted efforts to attain national goal of collective development. The President underscored that the country will not progress without eliminating the menace of corruption.

The President stated that Gwadar Deep seaport will be functional this year and a modern airport would also be built there.

The President lamented that no other water reservoirs were constructed after the issue of Kalabagh Dam became contentious which rendered great loss to the country adding that now these mistakes were rectified and new dams were being constructed.

The President emphasized that the process of eradicating the scourge of terrorism was continuing with full political commitment, which is producing positive results and providing conducive environment for business and industrial activities.

President Mamnoon Hussain said that industrial zone of Kotri was playing an important role in national progress. He added that due to certain problems in the past business environment in the country got affected and the national economy suffered but the government devised comprehensive strategy and took bold steps and as a result the curse of terrorism has been controlled to great extent.

“National Action Plan was formulated with the backing of the whole nation which was being implemented effectively”, remarked the President. President Mamnoon said it is a big success for the government that entrepreneurs and traders are satisfied with the law and order situation in the country.

The President stated that work on power generation projects was underway under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project and hoped that the issue of load-shedding will be resolved by the year 2018. The President commended the industrial areas of Kotri, which were generating electricity, and assured of his support in resolving cost of electricity issues with NEPRA.

President Mamnoon said that Pakistan offers tremendous investment opportunities and the investors should benefit from it adding in this regard it is the responsibility of trade organizations to guide the investors. “In this way, our products would also meet the standard requirement for exports and we would be able to get success in international markets”, stated the President. President Mamnoon called upon traders and industrialists to explore new markets for enhancing the country’s exports so that foreign exchange could further increase.

On the occasion, business community of Kotri apprised the President about their issues. President Mamnoon assured of his cooperation in resolving their issues. The President also distributed awards among industrialists and prominent personalities. =DNA
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