Sharif vows ‘peaceful Karachi’ by 2018

ONGOING OPERATION AGAINST CRIMINALS IN THE CITY WILL BE TAKEN TO ITS LOGICAL END, PRIME MINISTER SAYS

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has reiterated his commitment to take the ongoing Karachi security operation against criminals to its logical end, promising that the metropolis would be crime-free by 2018.

“By launching [the] police and Rangers’ operation here, our government took the bold step to purge this city of criminals. I assure you that this action would be taken to its logical end and Karachi will be a peaceful city by 2018,” the prime minister declared while addressing opening ceremony of 9th Expo Pakistan exhibition at Karachi Expo Centre yesterday. On law and order, Sharif said the government was pursuing the right course to overcome the problem.

“We have taken concrete decisions such as launch of the Zarb-e-Azb and Karachi operations to ensure peace in the country,” Sharif said.

He said the National Action Plan on countering terrorism was a national document and would be implemented in letter and spirit. While launching the ninth edition of the Expo Pakistan 2015 Sharif painted an encouraging picture of the country and told the participants of the country’s biggest trade fair that, “Those who want to set up industries in the country now is the time, within the next three years Pakistan will overcome its energy crises. We are happy that we are on the right track towards progress and development. We are planning to set up more industrial projects in the country within next 25 years.”

Sharif said the country’s exports will be enhanced to $50 billion (Dh183 billion) during the next three years.

He said Pakistan is producing high quality products and services, which are recognised at the international level.

He said there were vast

investment opportunities in the country and assured the government would provide all possible facilities to investors in order to achieve its objective of economic prosperity. He said the government has announced a new textile policy under which textilerelated production will be raised to $26 billion by 2019 from the current $13 billion.

Sharif said Pakistan is a safe country both for tourism and business and offers higher returns to the investors. He said the government will ensure continuation of trade and for this purpose a long term framework has been chalked out.