Punjab Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha has said that the macroeconomic policy tools are still in the realm of the federal government, while the provincial government is undertaking multiple reforms to boost the economy, saying a lot of assistance is still required from the center.
The Provincial Finance Minister stated this while addressing an extension lecture session on National Macroeconomic Management & Role of Provinces, organized by Punjab Economic Research Institute (PERI), Planning & Development Department at local hotel, Lahore.
Chairman P&D Punjab Jahanzeb Khan, former federal secretary finance & renowned macroeconomist Dr Waqar Masood Khan, Secretary P&D Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, economist Dr Shujat Ali, chairman Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) Dr Raheel Siddique, Director PERI Dr Mumtaz Anwar, secretary Mines & Minerals Dr Muhammad Arshad, members P&D Board, Dr Shabana Haider, Malik Sadaqat, Additional Secretary P&D Dr Shahid Adil, development sector chief P&D, senior government officials, chairpersons of various universities, economists, academicians, journalists, and representatives from social organizations & industry sector attended the session.
Addressing the lecture session, Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghaus thanked renowned Macroeconomist Pakistan Dr Waqar Masood Khan for providing a comprehensive analysis of the roles of the provincial and federal governments. She appreciated how he quite competently highlighted the challenges being faced by either government in the matters of policy-making. Consequently, she was hopeful that the center would continue to facilitate the provincial governments in achieving an equitable social and economic prosperity in their respective provinces.
She said these advancements would be reflected in the key economic indicators of the country which is and should be the ultimate goal. She added that given the economic history of the country as presented today, important lessons need to be learnt, the most vital being that growth needs to inclusive and broad based. Finance Minister was of the opinion that real sectors such as agriculture and industry are the drivers of sustained growth.