Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the government was determined to direct the country to an economic turnaround through structural reforms, institutional changes and a renewed concentration on meritocracy, Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
Addressing a group of Pakistani students registered in leading international universities as part of the Uraan Pakistan summer summer program for the government, the Prime Minister said that the coalition government had taken office in 2023 at a time when the country was on the verge of default.
“The majority believed that Pakistan would be lacking, while a small minority had the hope that we could avoid it,” he said, recalling his meetings with the director general of the IMF where he ensured Pakistan’s commitment to stabilize the economy and finish the program.
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The Prime Minister said that inflation had increased to 38% and that the policy rate was 22.5% at that time, while business feeling had dropped. “The burden was immense, but we progressed with sincerity and unity. Today, the policy rate has been reduced to less than 11pc, and initiatives like Uraan Pakistan have taken off. ”
He described the future way as “difficult”, noting that successive governments had avoided undertaking structural reforms. “We must now engage in these changes expected for a long time thanks to sustained efforts,” he said.
براہ presurbance راست: ویراعظم کی انٹرن شپ پروگرام اڑان پان پانستان -100 اسکالرز کے ط ط tra
– Government of Pakistan (@govtofpakistan) July 12, 2025
Stressing the reforms within the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), he said that the government had acted decisively to eliminate corrupt officials without giving in to political pressure or the culture of Sifarish.
“Previously, digitization efforts were limited to documents, manipulated by acquired interests,” he said, adding that his government had appointed competent people, including a new FBR president and expert consultants. “Today, FBR operations are increasingly digital, AI -based tools and facialless interaction becoming the standard.”
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Following implementing efforts, he said, the collection of income in a sector alone increased from 12 billion rupees to more than RS50 billion in a year, revealing the extent of past tax evasion.
“We are faced with a long and long journey, with mountain challenges,” said the Prime Minister. “But we don’t fear our responsibilities. I believe in teamwork and responsibility – those that allow are recognized, and those who are not shown at the door. ”
He said that not achieving economic objectives was not an option. “Delivery is the name of the game; performance is the name of the game.”
Stressing the importance of the development of young people, he said that investment in young people was an investment in the future of Pakistan. Answering students’ questions, the Prime Minister recalled that he had launched scholarships based on Merit in Punjab for disadvantaged students during his mandate as chief minister.
Regarding climate change, the Prime Minister noted that Pakistan had undergone massive economic losses during the floods of 2022 – estimated at $ 30 billion, which contributes only a negligible part to the world’s emissions.
Answering another question, Prime Minister Shehbaz addressed recent tensions with India, declaring that in May of this year, Pakistan responded to “unprepared assault” following the Pahalgam incident.
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He said Pakistan had proposed an international investigation into the issue, but India did not answer. “Following the Indian assault, 55 Pakistanis were martyred. We responded in self-defense by lowering six Indian planes,” he said, adding that on May 9 and 10, Pakistan had rippied in force.
He praised the armed forces for their professionalism and reiterated that the Pakistan nuclear program was only for peaceful purposes and national defense.
The Prime Minister expressed confidence in the students selected as part of the Uraan Pakistan program and argued the best wishes for their academic and professional trips.
