Pakistani political parties invited to discuss National Economic Agenda

Karachi, April 26, 2011 (PPI ): The senior leadership of the country's major political parties is meeting on Friday in Islamabad to discuss the possibility of agreeing to a minimum framework for developing a consensus on a National Economic Agenda.

The move to facilitate the political parties to agree on an economic agenda comes in the backdrop of the efforts of the Pakistan Business Council (PBC) to seek an agreement on a common long term strategy for better management of the economy.

The PBC has already met and shared its views on the need for a core National Economic Agenda with the leadership of the major political parties - PPP, PML (N), PML (Q) and MQM. Speaking to the press, regarding PBC's role in the process, CEO of the Pakistan Business Council Kamran. Y. Mirza said "The PBC is only providing a facilitating role in this exercise. The PBC and its members feel strongly about the need for developing a common National Economic Agenda as an economically strong Pakistan is in the interests of its citizens, which include PBC members".

He also said "We should not expect Friday's meeting to be an end in itself. The political leadership and the PBC are aware that this will, at best, set the ball rolling. We should however take heart from the fact that this meeting is taking place and that all the major political parties are committed to moving Pakistan to the next level of development."

The Pakistan Business Council is a non-political, not-for-profit institution. The PBC's objectives include proposal of policies that will accelerate Pakistan's economic growth. PBC includes Pakistan's largest corporations/business groups including multinationals.