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"Overall, there's been significant success in a year, But Still..." Hassan Ayub's Analysis
"Shehbaz Government has called its one year Unprecedented..." Khaqan Najeeb's Analysis
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ARY News is a leading Pakistani news channel that promises to bring you factual and timely international stories and stories about Pakistan, sports, entertainment, and business, amid others.
"Overall, there's been significant success in a year, But Still..." Hassan Ayub's Analysis
"Shehbaz Government has called its one year Unprecedented..." Khaqan Najeeb's Analysis
Follow the ARY News channel on WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/46e5HzY
Subscribe to our channel and press the bell icon for latest news updates: http://bit.ly/3e0SwKP
ARY News is a leading Pakistani news channel that promises to bring you factual and timely international stories and stories about Pakistan, sports, entertainment, and business, amid others.
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NewsTranscript
00:00As-salam-o-alaikum, dear viewers, welcome to the program.
00:14Today is the 4th of March, a very important day, because a year ago, the current government,
00:21which is being headed by Respected Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif Sahib, took charge.
00:26And after a year, the government presented its work report in a grand manner at the Convention Centre.
00:35All the media were invited and invited.
00:39And there, they told us what their overall work was like on the economic front for a year.
00:46Today, you can see in all the newspapers, yesterday, as a preamble was issued,
00:52a press conference was also held by the Minister for Information.
00:56Today, that news has been published in all the newspapers as a preamble.
01:02If we can show you, first of all, let's start with Janga Akhbar.
01:06Expenses have reached their lowest level in 9 years.
01:11They are saying that in February, the rate was 1.5%.
01:15And they have given all the credit to their team.
01:21They have said that we have done a lot of hard work.
01:25Along with that, they have also given due credit to the Army Chief,
01:29that wherever we needed it, we were getting all the administrative help.
01:35After this, the other news, viewers, has been published in Duniya Khabar.
01:40If you see this news, it is also saying the same thing.
01:43Expenses have reached their lowest level in 9 and a half years.
01:47All the financial institutions are working together.
01:52If you see Express, what news is going on in Express.
01:57Expenses have reached their lowest level in 9 and a half years.
02:00It has reached 5.2%.
02:03The economy is getting better.
02:05This is also being said.
02:06After that, if you see the news in Dawn,
02:10Inflation drops to its lowest level in nearly a decade.
02:14This is the news.
02:15It has also been published in all the newspapers.
02:18And along with that, you have seen various banners on the roads.
02:22They are telling us that the rate of inflation has decreased by 90%.
02:28Similarly, the current account surplus is $1.2 billion.
02:33If I am not wrong.
02:35The foreign capital has increased by 56%.
02:40The FDI, which is considered to be a very big development,
02:45And I think it is also a success.
02:47It is being said in the tech collection that it has increased by 25%.
02:51The interest rates have increased by 32%.
02:55The interest rate has increased by 7%.
02:59The increase in the value of the rupee is being said to be 10%.
03:01The policy rate of interest rates has decreased by 48%.
03:07Interest rates have increased by 2.5%.
03:10Pakistan Stock Exchange is now considered to be the best stock exchange in the world.
03:17These are all the issues, viewers.
03:19Since there will be a lot of discussion on economics today,
03:22We have invited Mr. Khaqan Najeeb to the program.
03:25He has been a member of one of our governments in the past.
03:30He knows that when the government puts such figures in front,
03:34How much hard work goes into it.
03:38The government wants to put its performance in front.
03:42But today when this event happened there,
03:45Hassan Ayub, who is with us in Islamabad studio,
03:48Mr. Chaudhary Ghulam from Lahore,
03:50He attended.
03:52So first I go to Hassan Ayub and ask him,
03:54What was the atmosphere?
03:56This special arrangement of the cabinet was also held in the convention center.
04:00So the government is very firm, confident,
04:04As it is said in English, brimming with confidence.
04:07That we have gained control over the economic challenges.
04:11And this number of figures that the government is putting in front,
04:15This is the reality.
04:17So this is a real-time turnaround government.
04:20Definitely.
04:21You see, when the government took it,
04:23There were reserves of about $ 4 billion.
04:25Today there are reserves of about $ 11.5 billion.
04:28The total loss was $ 27.47 billion.
04:31And today it is $ 17.5 billion.
04:34That is, you have reduced it a lot.
04:37Inflation was 38%.
04:40And you have reduced it to 4.1%.
04:44Overall, if you look at it,
04:46There are a lot of achievements in a year.
04:49But still the tax collection,
04:52The target set by the IMF,
04:54If you look at it, there is a 25% increase compared to last year.
04:57But the jacket worn by the IMF,
05:00After that jacket, you are not able to meet it.
05:03The important thing is that you get an unrealistic target.
05:07You have to cover it.
05:09So the Prime Minister was very confident.
05:11The new ministers who have joined in the middle,
05:14That is, after such a good performance,
05:16You needed more ministers.
05:18I don't think it was necessary.
05:20You should have included a few people with whom you had made a promise.
05:25Remember, I will ask you in the later part of the program,
05:29How were the ministers feeling there?
05:33What are their expectations?
05:35You have fulfilled the commitment that you have promised.
05:38Without a promise, you have fulfilled the promise of your own party.
05:41Thank you very much for giving me time.
05:44Before coming to you,
05:47The Prime Minister's first finance minister,
05:50When he became the Prime Minister,
05:52Mr. Shahbaz Sharif,
05:53You must remember, the government of PDM was formed.
05:55Mr. Mifta Ismail, who was very successful,
05:58You must remember,
06:00The news of default at that time,
06:03He signed the bailout package successfully with the IMF.
06:07With regard to the current government's activities,
06:10Or with regard to the activities of his former party,
06:12Former Prime Minister,
06:14How are they managing it?
06:16Let me put it in front of you.
06:44Pakistan's income has decreased by 1.6%.
06:47And in the last three years,
06:49Pakistan's income is decreasing.
06:51Their income is decreasing.
06:53And the Pakistanis are getting poorer.
06:55So things are coming out of our hands.
06:57In the days of Ramadan,
06:59The price of perishable items is a little high.
07:01In the first week.
07:02We experience that.
07:03But for the most part,
07:05Things are getting more expensive.
07:07And the salaries are not increasing.
07:08That's why people are in trouble.
07:09Even today, 10.5 crore people are below the poverty line.
07:12Which is 40%.
07:1316.5 million children are out of school.
07:15Which is the largest number in the world.
07:17Even today, 40% of children are stunted in Pakistan.
07:19I don't know what this is celebrating for.
07:24I don't know what this is celebrating for.
07:26Mr. Mifta Ismail,
07:27The former finance minister of Mr. Shahbaz Sharif,
07:29He is taunting.
07:30One by one, Mr. Najeeb,
07:32We will ask you questions.
07:34First of all,
07:35Certainly,
07:36It is said that there are two deficits.
07:38There is a current account and a trade deficit.
07:40There are big deficits.
07:42On this,
07:43The government is saying,
07:45Genuinely,
07:46We can see a control.
07:48So,
07:49The macro-level economic indicators,
07:51They are saying that,
07:52You have managed the deficit.
07:54For the time being.
07:56Your thoughts, Mr. Najeeb.
07:58Mr. Sukhawar,
07:59First of all,
08:00You gave a very comprehensive introduction.
08:02Then,
08:03Your colleagues also had a very good conversation.
08:05The authorities had a good conversation today.
08:07And then,
08:08You also talked about a formal FM.
08:10Now,
08:11I am going to try and tell you,
08:13What has happened in the country in the short run,
08:15In the last ten to twelve,
08:17Fourteen months.
08:18And,
08:19The prospects of the country in the long run,
08:21How much have they improved,
08:22In terms of growing the economy.
08:24Pakistan's economy,
08:26Mr. Sukhawar,
08:27Is behaving typically,
08:29As economies behave,
08:31When there is an engagement with the IMF.
08:33In the first twelve to fourteen months,
08:35The deficit has come down.
08:37Prices are increasing.
08:39But,
08:40It is not increasing in the same way,
08:41As it was before.
08:42By slowing down Pakistan's economy,
08:45By bringing imports from $80 billion,
08:47To $60 billion,
08:49The external deficit,
08:51Has been managed.
08:52And,
08:53With this,
08:54Our reserves,
08:55Have gone to the import cover,
08:56For two and a half months.
08:57But,
08:58The price we pay,
08:59Is to slow the economy,
09:00To achieve all this.
09:01But,
09:02Because,
09:03Establishment,
09:04And,
09:05A few more measures were taken,
09:06And,
09:07Imported inflation,
09:08Became more stable.
09:09Afghan transit trade,
09:10Smuggling,
09:11Was stopped.
09:12And,
09:13The remittances,
09:14Became formal channels.
09:15So,
09:16They have given a lot of support,
09:17To build up of reserves,
09:18And,
09:19To bring a comfortable position.
09:20Our debts,
09:22We could not pay them.
09:24$16 billion,
09:25Was wasted.
09:26And,
09:27We always,
09:28China,
09:29UAE,
09:30Qatar,
09:31Saudi Arabia,
09:32Because,
09:33They are close friends,
09:34They,
09:35Strategically,
09:36Thinking that,
09:38In the short run,
09:39This is a clean analysis,
09:40But,
09:41It does not mean,
09:42That,
09:43The delaying issues,
09:44And,
09:45Those few,
09:46Clearly,
09:47So that,
09:48We always remember,
09:49Privatization,
09:50Deregulation,
09:51Investment to GDP,
09:52Ratio of Pakistan,
09:53Increasing Pakistan's,
09:54Tax net,
09:55Which does not mean,
09:56Increasing filers,
09:57Which means,
09:58Those sectors,
09:59In which,
10:00Gaps,
10:01Exist,
10:0250%
10:03Gaps,
10:04And,
10:0550%
10:06Gaps,
10:07Real estate,
10:08Retail,
10:09Wholesale,
10:10Agriculture,
10:11Income tax,
10:12All these,
10:13To bring them,
10:14Into the system,
10:15And,
10:16Forming,
10:17The energy sector,
10:18And,
10:19The most important,
10:20Engine of growth,
10:21Which means,
10:22As soon as,
10:23We started growing,
10:24In February,
10:25A little,
10:26Then you saw,
10:27The commercial loss,
10:28Increases,
10:29Because,
10:30We are on,
10:31An import,
10:32Dependent,
10:33Growth model,
10:34All these,
10:35Have to be,
10:36Fixed,
10:37All,
10:38In 77 years,
10:39We have found it,
10:40Hard to do,
10:41Privatization,
10:42Of PIA,
10:43Or,
10:44Deregulation,
10:45Of the country,
10:46Or,
10:47Energy,
10:48Efficiency,
10:49Today,
10:5043,000,
10:51Megawatt,
10:52Electricity,
10:53Is very expensive,
10:5410,000,
10:5512,000,
10:56In winter,
10:57And,
10:58In summer,
10:5925,000,
11:0028,000,
11:01Electricity,
11:02Is expensive,
11:03So,
11:05Now,
11:06The government,
11:07Has 2025,
11:08Years,
11:09That,
11:10These things,
11:11That we have,
11:12In front of us,
11:13Which means,
11:14That you,
11:15Privatization of the country,
11:16To continue,
11:17Macro-stability,
11:18Of the country,
11:19With IMF,
11:20Continued,
11:21Engagement,
11:22Agriculture,
11:23Firms,
11:24And,
11:25Labor,
11:26These three things,
11:27The ability to produce,
11:28To change it,
11:29To connect,
11:30Pakistan,
11:31Which is,
11:32Our small,
11:33Little,
11:34Company,
11:35Which is,
11:36The firms,
11:37which we call,
11:38SMEs,
11:39How will they connect,
11:40To the world,
11:41It means,
11:42The fundamental,
11:43Structures,
11:44Of the economy,
11:45These can,
11:46Reform,
11:47There is a great need to reform,
11:48You are absolutely right,
11:49Let's move forward,
11:50One by one,
11:51Mr. Choudhary Gulamshain,
11:52He is present with us,
11:53From Lahore,
11:54Mr. Choudhary Gulamshain,
11:55Overall,
11:56Where we get,
11:57Credit,
11:58We must give,
11:59In every case,
12:00The is,
12:01Economic Stability,
12:02For the time being, the stability has come and reforms are needed.
12:07The question you want to ask and the report card that the Prime Minister has presented to the present government,
12:13you want to comment on that. Go ahead, Shoaib.
12:16I am just asking my economist, Mr. Najeeb, that I accept all the rest,
12:25I accept it on face value, no doctor has been done, no facts have been broken and presented.
12:38Whatever is there, it has been done in the same way.
12:40You tell me at this time, how many percent is the economy growing?
12:45A very straightforward question, Mr. Najeeb.
12:50What is the status of our growth at the moment, in your opinion?
12:55Mr. Chaudhary, it is a very good question.
12:58There is no other way in the world to get people out of poverty or to bring prosperity.
13:06No matter how many dole outs we give, we will give 650 billion in income support to people.
13:11If we add 30 billion rupees Ramzan package and 20, it becomes 50 billion of Punjab and Federal.
13:18But jobs and prosperity do not come except for growth, Mr. Chaudhary.
13:23The growth of Pakistan is expected to come to about 3% this year.
13:30But the large-scale manufacturing is negative, which has come before us in the data of this fiscal year.
13:37So the biggest concern is that without verifying the growth engine, when we go to 5-6% growth,
13:47import increases, consumption increases and there is a crisis of balance of payments in the country.
13:53And for the fourth time in a decade, where is the IMF?
13:57This is a very important question.
13:59So the IMF should do from this view, which we do not do.
14:03That we will sort our fundamental issues and repair our growth engine.
14:10Let me repeat that.
14:11Because, Mr. Chaudhary, this is not at all important.
14:14This is existential for us.
14:16The growth features that have stopped our economy,
14:21by diagnosing them, the need to work in growth, which are the following,
14:27that the state will leave the foundations and will give a chance to the private sector.
14:32Even now, 164 state-owned enterprises are run by the federal government alone,
14:40taking a loss anywhere between 600 to 1000 billion rupees.
14:45Their accumulated loss is 21 billion dollars in the last 10 years.
14:50I have written this book, so I know it very well.
14:53So, what are those growth engines?
14:56Those growth engines are that without reviving the production capacity of agriculture.
15:01I am using the word reviving because today you are at half capacity, if you compare it with the world.
15:07And the key crops you have.
15:09You make wheat 3 tons per hectare.
15:12China makes 5.7 tons per hectare.
15:16So, we have understood now, until we repair it.
15:20Now, here I will say a very important thing, which no one has done from you yet.
15:25Now, the mission of IMF has come.
15:27Just don't do this from it, as our friend just said,
15:31that we have a tax shortfall, talk about it.
15:33You talk to them that the tax on manufacturing, if we don't reduce it,
15:38then new manufacturing will not start in Pakistan.
15:42This important conversation has now become necessary with IMF.
15:47Then it has become necessary to talk that if there will be so much tax on salaried employees,
15:53then why don't they go and work in the UAE or Middle East, where there is no tax at all.
15:59Then it has become necessary to talk that if privatization is not happening,
16:04then what is the change in the structures in the next 12 to 14 to 18 months,
16:09which we can do and move forward.
16:12Then, what is the pitfall of digital transformation that we should keep in mind?
16:18And then what are the steps to reduce the government's expenditure and give it at a low level,
16:24which we should do, so that we have access to the new coming budget.
16:28Mr. Najeeb, these are very complex issues.
16:33Obviously, the government is also looking at them.
16:36But when we talk about what people are concerned about in common sense,
16:41purchasing power, if a Pakistani had 100 rupees in his pocket last year,
16:47then after a year, the price of that 100 rupees will be 100 rupees or 105 or 10, number one.
16:54Number two, the findings of the World Bank report state that the poverty rate in Pakistan stood at 25.3% in 2024,
17:12showing an increase of 7 percentage points compared to 2023.
17:18About 13 million additional people are falling into poverty.
17:24The question here is, is there stability at the macro level?
17:29Yes, there is, as the indicators indicate.
17:32When there are people on the ground, who are purchasing power,
17:36or if I ask you this question, what statistics do you have from the poverty number?
17:43Yes, sir. So now we have come to the level of what impact all this talk has on people.
18:10If the inflation kept increasing like this, inflation increased by 29% in 2023, inflation increased by 24% in 2024.
18:18You think that if inflation kept increasing like this, and we would have said in 2025 that 15 or 18% has increased,
18:26then people would have had a very adverse impact in 2025 as well.
18:29Now I can comfortably say that the decrease in the trend of inflation has not increased people's purchasing power,
18:37but the way it was going down has decreased.
18:40So that's the right way to think about it.
18:42Today, the buying power of 1 lakh has broken, of course,
18:46because 29% and 24% and now 8-10% if there is inflation, or it remains around 8%,
18:52so that basket of goods, which you were buying 1 lakh last year,
18:58you are not buying this year, there is no 2 in this.
19:01Now the converse of this is that incomes should increase,
19:06but the incomes of the private sector did not increase like that,
19:09but the government sector has increased its salaries and has given some support to people.
19:14But since the second important thing is why poverty has increased,
19:18first of all, of course, their buying power broke,
19:20but since 3 million new people entered, where? In the workforce.
19:25If 3 million entered in 2024-2025, 6 million entered,
19:30and the growth of Pakistan remained stunted, that is, it remained at 2.5-3.5%,
19:35so we made a total of 2 million jobs, but 6 million people entered.
19:41So this means that unemployment has increased, and this means that poverty has increased.
19:46These numbers are in front of us.
19:50Please complete it, then we will go to the break, and then the questions will come.
19:55So this is an overall precaution.
19:58That is, there is that time in Pakistan now,
20:01I have said this to rediscuss with the fund,
20:04that how you can reframe the program,
20:08that the structures should change,
20:10and the repair of this growth engine should start,
20:13because time and space have been obtained,
20:15but the three things that have been evaluated,
20:17poverty, buying power, and unemployment,
20:20we have not been able to reach this yet,
20:23because the economy is not growing,
20:25now we are going through the fourth phase of macro-stability in a decade.
20:30But do not waste this time.
20:32Absolutely right.
20:33Very important points that you have highlighted.
20:35Let's go to the break, after the break, Hassan and then Mr. Chaudhary Gulamshin will ask questions.
20:38Stay with us.
20:42Welcome back.
20:43Hassan, first you want to ask a question.
20:45Yes, I wanted to ask this question to Mr. Khakha Najeeb,
20:47that first I want to ask,
20:49that how Rs. 20 billion is being distributed among 40 lakh people,
20:56who are saying that they will distribute this money in a very transparent way,
20:58as the Prime Minister's Ramzan Package,
21:01but if a family gets Rs. 5000 fee,
21:07if a family gets a fee,
21:08then what benefit can they get from this Ramzan Mubarak?
21:14And the second point of my question is that,
21:18as we are talking,
21:20for many people,
21:22their purchasing power has been reduced in Pakistan.
21:25But my information is,
21:27in Europe and especially in Britain,
21:30many people who were the owners of houses,
21:34now they cannot do it on mortgage,
21:36so people are getting homeless from their homes.
21:38So are the conditions of Pakistan the same?
21:41Or is this gift,
21:43or this post-COVID situation,
21:47only for people in Europe and America?
21:51Yes, Mr. Najeeb.
21:53Look, the request is that,
21:55there has been inflation all over the world,
21:58that is, the prices have increased,
22:00their proportion has increased,
22:02that is why the state banks all over the world,
22:04they have increased the policy rate,
22:06so that the economy can be controlled by slowing it all over the world.
22:11Look, the economy of Pakistan is different,
22:14because there are very few people here who pay for mortgages.
22:18Because in Pakistan,
22:20home borrowing is very low,
22:22to buy a home.
22:24Where outside, when the rate increases by 1-2%,
22:27and the monthly mortgage increases by 500 or 1000 dollars,
22:30then they face a lot of trouble.
22:32I think because this phenomenon does not exist in Pakistan,
22:35so the mortgage stress,
22:38is not the same in Pakistan,
22:40as it is seen outside.
22:43But, remember that,
22:45because the middle-income or lower-middle-income people,
22:48their biggest expense in Pakistan,
22:51is on the food basket.
22:53And when the prices of things increase in terms of food,
22:56then we see that people go towards malnutrition,
23:00because they shrink their food basket here,
23:03because their purchasing power breaks.
23:05And that is why when we say that there is so much stunting,
23:08there is malnutrition,
23:10one reason for that is food insecurity,
23:13when the prices increase.
23:15That is why macro-stability,
23:17is the most important thing for any economy.
23:21I am saying this because,
23:23when Pakistan goes towards instability again and again,
23:26then people get shocked.
23:29They go into an endogenous shock,
23:31that the prices have increased so much.
23:33We have to get out of this phenomenon.
23:35Sir, regarding the Ramadan package,
23:37the question I asked, you may have missed it.
23:39This time, Rs 5,000 per family will be paid,
23:43and up to 4 million families,
23:45this Rs 5,000 will be given,
23:47and this is Rs 20 billion,
23:49which the federal government is giving,
23:51which includes all four provinces,
23:53including Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.
23:55So you don't think that this money,
23:57this Rs 20 billion of the Ramadan package,
23:59is going to waste,
24:01because with Rs 5,000,
24:03what can a family do in a month like Ramadan?
24:05If they were doing someone a favour,
24:07if they were distributing this Rs 20 billion to 4,000 families,
24:11then I think it would have been better for them.
24:13I think this is a good initiative,
24:15it will be very beneficial.
24:17Rs 5,000 will go to the person,
24:19he will be able to buy something.
24:21Please understand this a little.
24:23The data that we have made,
24:25of the National Socioeconomic Registry,
24:27because I was at the table
24:29when we started the Income Support Program,
24:31which was called WISP,
24:33ISP, it was remembered by different names,
24:35it is also called Aisaaz.
24:37Look, the purpose of this is not
24:39that we take someone to such a level
24:41that he may be getting
24:43the money for a job.
24:45This means that there is a financial crisis,
24:47you were vulnerable,
24:49you lost your job,
24:51you were vulnerable, God forbid, you were in trouble.
24:53This is the data of those people.
24:55The cut-off point from which
24:57this number is coming,
24:59as far as you are reaching,
25:01is very low, I think 35 points or something.
25:03So these are exactly the people
25:05for whom you will give Rs 5,000 per month,
25:07maybe they will buy flour
25:09and be able to improve their
25:11little nutrition.
25:13I am convinced of this because
25:15they have money,
25:17they buy milk, buy yogurt,
25:19buy onions, buy tomatoes,
25:21pay school fees,
25:23what they think is best.
25:25And this is corruption-free because
25:27we are not going through USC,
25:29we are not going to utility stores
25:31This is the best way.
25:33I think this is the best way.
25:35Mr. Chaudhary Ghulam will ask a question.
25:37Along with this, Mr. Najeeb,
25:39the food vouchers given all over the world
25:41from low-income people,
25:43the cash transaction happens
25:45someone needs flour, someone needs ghee,
25:47someone needs milk, God forbid,
25:49someone has a disease.
25:51So I think this is not a bad initiative.
25:53It is successful all over the world.
25:55Mr. Chaudhary Ghulam,
25:57the forum is open,
25:59go ahead, Mr. Chaudhary.
26:29If there were
26:31250 registries
26:33every day,
26:35today it has come down to 10-12.
26:37The rest,
26:39you can leave it to the public.
26:41And first of all,
26:43large-scale manufacturing,
26:45there is no harm in that.
26:47I mean, if you take a look at Faisalabad,
26:49you will see that the ruins there
26:51are a picture of this.
26:53The production of these things,
26:55goods and services,
26:57until you facilitate
26:59people,
27:01to increase them,
27:03and today there was only agriculture left,
27:05whatever has happened to it,
27:07no one knows better than Mr. Khawar.
27:09And now you yourself have come
27:11that the wheat will be so less.
27:13Who did this?
27:15When you left the market,
27:17they had no problem
27:19buying their things.
27:21They said, eat wheat, it is not so much.
27:23So I am saying that
27:25to increase
27:27production,
27:29which in fact increases
27:31buying power,
27:33if I am not wrong.
27:35So you tell me, when the property sector
27:37also sat down, large-scale manufacturing
27:39also sat down,
27:41whether it is Power Looms in Faisalabad
27:43or another industry,
27:45and you increased
27:47agriculture,
27:49who are you sitting on?
27:51This stock exchange bubble,
27:53I don't think so it is helping
27:55the Pakistan economy.
27:57This is a very loaded question, Mr. Najeeb.
27:59Sir, one thing is clear,
28:01that the Pakistan Stock Exchange
28:03or any stock exchange,
28:05it does not reflect the entire economy,
28:07but it does tell
28:09that
28:11some sectors,
28:13some companies,
28:15they have grown, and the market
28:17was at the default level,
28:19that is why it has come back,
28:21so this is absolutely right, Mr. Choy.
28:23And the second thing,
28:25without increasing the productivity of Pakistan,
28:27whether it is agriculture,
28:29like I put one figure in front of you,
28:31I can put all the figures of agriculture in front of you,
28:33that our agriculture
28:35productivity
28:37is so weak.
28:39Cotton grows 570 kg
28:41per hectare, China 2000,
28:43sugarcane 60 tons
28:45per hectare,
28:47Peru 126 tons per hectare.
28:49So,
28:51Mr. Choy, what you are saying is,
28:53that the productivity
28:55cannot be doubled.
28:57Increase the productivity of the firms,
28:59connect them with the world.
29:01They have been making cars for so long,
29:03they could not make a single car
29:05worth selling in the world,
29:07because they do not compete with the world.
29:09They are trying to run a closed economy.
29:11These things are right because
29:13competitive behavior,
29:15when there are 10 channels, 15 channels,
29:1720 channels,
29:19when they compete,
29:21Mr. Khawar performs at his best
29:23so that his program
29:25is at his best.
29:27If we had not opened PTV,
29:29could we have come up with such
29:31excellent programs,
29:33such excellent channels?
29:35We have done the same with the economy.
29:37Protect this sector,
29:39protect that sector.
29:41Mr. Najeeb, I got your point.
29:43Now tell me, there is a lot of debate
29:45that why has the government
29:47gone out of buying and selling wheat?
29:49The protection that was available
29:51to a farmer,
29:53the support price that he used to get,
29:55you got rid of that.
29:57Now we saw the benefit of that
29:59that when the government left,
30:01last year,
30:03the price of wheat in the market
30:05is quite controlled.
30:07If I ask you that the government
30:09has decided to leave the
30:11support price of sugarcane,
30:13the market forces should look at it,
30:15the government has nothing to do with it.
30:17In your opinion,
30:19is it a good decision at once
30:21or should the government leave it
30:23in phases? What is your opinion on this?
30:25So, Mr. Khawar,
30:27I always give the example of Pakistan.
30:29One crop is rice.
30:31There is no intervention of the government.
30:33There used to be a very old rice corporation.
30:35It was closed.
30:37Last year, this country exported
30:39rice worth 3.5 to 4 billion dollars.
30:41We are in a competitive behavior.
30:43Pakistani Banaspati is
30:45its name all over the world.
30:47Many times it is sold out of other names
30:49because it is so good.
30:51Basmati.
30:53Yes, Basmati.
30:55And it is sold all over the world
30:57with other names.
30:59So, see in your own country,
31:01the work in which the government
31:03is not involved is doing so well.
31:05I am not saying that the government
31:07should leave the wheat setting
31:09as soon as possible.
31:11But in phases, all four provinces
31:13should leave.
31:15Especially the big province,
31:17Punjab, which is its big buyer,
31:19should leave this work.
31:21Market forces should be allowed
31:23to compete.
31:25Markets should be allowed to grow.
31:27But that doesn't mean that where assurity
31:29is given immediately, but in phases
31:31they will leave.
31:33So, there has never been a shortfall
31:35of rice in Pakistan.
31:37And if it is less,
31:39then we import it.
31:41That is the market behavior.
31:43Strategic reserves
31:45should be kept in Pakistan.
31:47There is a lot of difference in wheat.
31:49Yes.
31:51Because this is one of the staple
31:53crops, the reserves in wheat
31:55should definitely be kept strategic.
31:57You can maintain that a little
31:59in the country so that there is no shortfall
32:01and the price does not rise suddenly.
32:03But otherwise, let the market work
32:05where we have allowed it.
32:07There has been price stability in Pakistan.
32:09Quality has also improved.
32:11And the export market has also developed.
32:13I think that's my view on this.
32:15Mr. Khakan Najib,
32:17thank you very much for giving time.
32:19We talked about the work of the viewers
32:21and the number of viewers
32:23who have come.
32:25We have one more story.
32:27We had a program today.
32:29You would have taken us to Karachi.
32:31We will talk about it in detail tomorrow.
32:33But yesterday,
32:35there was an issue highlighted by Hassan Ayub.
32:37Today, we have
32:39collected some more numbers on it.
32:41That is the price of chicken.
32:43In Punjab,
32:45the price of a briler chicken
32:47has gone up.
32:49It is a briler chicken,
32:51but it is flying in the air
32:53in terms of price.
32:55The price of a live briler chicken
32:57has reached Rs. 490.
32:59The price of chicken meat
33:01has gone up from Rs. 850 to Rs. 900.
33:03As Hassan Ayub claimed yesterday,
33:05especially in Rawalpindi.
33:07Ms. Salma Butt had also agreed
33:09that there is no peace in Pindi.
33:11The price of chicken in the wholesale market
33:13is Rs. 4800.
33:15In Punjab,
33:17the wholesale chicken market
33:19is being sold
33:21at Rs. 18,800.
33:23You were present there today.
33:25Didn't you ask him
33:27about the price of chicken?
33:29Did you ask any minister?
33:31Ms. Salma Butt is in Punjab.
33:33I am hearing a lot of praises
33:35about her.
33:37She is saying that
33:39it is not possible
33:41for a person to reach so many markets
33:43physically.
33:45She is reaching everywhere.
33:47All the deputy commissioners
33:49do not have their own forces.
33:51She is calling all the deputy commissioners
33:53and keeping in touch with them.
33:55If the ministry has given,
33:57then give Amla to CM Sahiba.
33:59I am requesting to Marjam Sahiba.
34:01She does not have Amla.
34:03It is a fact.
34:05She is operating through deputy commissioners.
34:07But to her extent,
34:09she has 10 out of 10 numbers.
34:11She has to control the prices.
34:13Marjam Sahiba's statement yesterday
34:15was heard.
34:17She is really controlling
34:19the price control of other things.
34:21I have done more research
34:23and verified about her.
34:25She is doing.
34:27She is a doer.
34:29Obviously, the government
34:31is running.
34:33On a daily basis,
34:35on the level of loyalty,
34:37especially on the level of Punjab,
34:39there are multiple meetings.
34:41As Mr. Salma Butt said,
34:43Mr. Hassan Ayub
34:45has done more research.
34:47She is very active.
34:49She is reaching out everywhere.
34:51As I said yesterday,
34:53she is reaching out everywhere.
34:55Tell me,
34:57why are you getting expensive things?
34:59You read the list yesterday.
35:01Don't you think
35:03that Mr. Chaudhary has a lot of money in his pocket?
35:05So, Mr. Chaudhary,
35:07give him expensive things.
35:09Mr. Chaudhary,
35:11he has to negotiate with us.
35:13No,
35:15from where we are sitting,
35:17this is a market
35:19for ordinary people.
35:21This is a market
35:23for ordinary people.
35:27Have you ever thought
35:29that bananas are good,
35:31Rs. 500-600 a dozen,
35:33guavas are Rs. 300 a kilo.
35:35I don't want to get into
35:37this debate.
35:39If you want,
35:41we should discuss the price
35:43every day.
35:45I will say
35:47that take reports
35:49and put pressure on the administration.
35:51We don't have any enmity
35:53or opposition.
35:55If someone does a good job,
35:57they are most welcome.
35:59I think the representative
36:01you called yesterday
36:03is in a mood to fight.
36:05No,
36:07she was defending her side of the story.
36:09Viewers,
36:11let's take a break.
36:13After the break,
36:15we will talk about
36:17the new demands
36:19and conditions
36:21of the IMF.
36:23What conditions
36:25are the Pakistan government
36:27negotiating with them?
36:29Our representative
36:31Shoaib Nizami will be with us.
36:33Welcome back,
36:35Shoaib Nizami,
36:37thank you very much.
36:39Let's talk about the conditions
36:41of the IMF.
36:43You know,
36:45there is a lot of
36:47corruption.
36:49What happened
36:51in the Senate?
36:53Did they solve
36:55the issue of
36:57Rs 60 billion?
36:59Yes,
37:01they reversed it
37:03in 72 hours.
37:05They cancelled
37:07the allotment.
37:09We will see
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45:25Thanks
45:27for watching.
45:29For more
45:31presentation-