Harvard University students call on Pakistan PM Sharif, Army chief
Sharif briefs students about action plan to revive economy, unleash IT potential
Islamabad: A delegation of students from Harvard University called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and asked him questions related to Pakistan’s economic revival in the face of tough challenges, his vision, history of Pakistan and its growth.
The delegation comprised students of diverse origins and academic backgrounds.
The prime minister welcomed the students and held a candid discussion about contemporary challenges Pakistan is facing today.
In response to a question about Pakistan’s economy and IMF programme, Sharif replied that Pakistan’s economic crisis stems from structural problems along with political instability in the recent decades.
Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Special Assistants to Prime Minister Ahad Cheema, Syed Fahad Hussain, Jahanzeb Khan, Coordinators to PM Bilal Azhar Kiyani, Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr Mukhtar Ahmed and officials from the concerned departments were also present.
The first few decades since the inception of Pakistan witnessed impressive growth across all sectors of the economy, he added.
“We had plans, national will and the implementation mechanism to produce outcomes. Over time, we lost the edge in sectors in which we were ahead. The lack of focus, energy and policy action led to the reduction in national productivity.”
“All efforts and resources have been deployed to stabilise the economy. Doing so is most crucial, but there is still a bumpy road ahead. We have a work ahead which involves prudent policies keeping the big picture in mind” he added.
3-pronged economic action plan
The prime minister also shared his three-pronged economic action plan: the revitalisation of the economy, making information technology the pivot of national development and the exports leading the economy.
On his futuristic programme of free laptops given to high achievers during his party’s previous tenure, he said it not only helped the students to continue their education in the times of COVID-19, but also helped the youth of Pakistan to get a strong foothold in the global freelance market.
He said: “The government is working on a plan to unpack the country’s huge but untapped potential in the field of information technology. It is our resolve that we increase our IT exports from the existing US$ 2 billion (Dh 7.34 billion) to US$15 billion (Dh 55.09 billion) in coming years”.
Students meet Army Chief
The students also called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
A statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said during the interactive session, the students asked questions about current regional issues and Pakistan Army’s efforts to promote peace and stability.
“Students thanked the COAS for providing the opportunity. These students will also be visiting various areas of Pakistan as part of their visit,” the military’s media wing said.