ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting of a group of business community in order to figure out a way forward to cope with the financial challenges facing Pakistan.

The prime minister urged the business community to focus on the growth of export-oriented sectors like Information Technology and agriculture related industry. He promised to develop Export Industrial Zones in all parts of the country for this purpose in which exporters would be encouraged to invest by providing them facilities like necessary infrastructure and effective One Windows Operation to resolve their problems.

He also emphasized on the need to develop solar and wind sectors for the production of green and renewable energy because Pakistan could not afford to spend $20 billion annually on oil import. He highlighted that the government’s decision to ban the import of luxury and non-essential consumer items would save $4 billion annually which is sufficient to finance annual import of palm oil. The Prime Minister desired that the entire nation, including the business community, should work hard day in and day out to improve deplorable socio-economic condition, as this is the only way forward.