Dr Nadeem ul Haque, Vice Chanceller Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) along with Dr Durr e Nayab, Pro Vice Chanceller PIDE visited OICCI to discuss Islah – PIDE’s initiative for reform. The guests were received by M Abdul Aleem, Secretary General OICCI, Kashif Shafi, Executive Director OICCI and representatives of key member companies of the Chamber.

Welcoming the guests, M Abdul Aleem shared that OICCI, the oldest chamber of Pakistan and one of the oldest in this region, contributes one-third to the national exchequer through taxes and duties. He also briefed the participants with various research initiatives that the chamber has undertaken.

Dr. Nadeem ul Haque shared that Pakistan economy is in such state that there is no other way except going for deep rooted structural reforms. There must be a consensus in society on some critical reforms and this interaction is an effort to reach this consensus. He underscored the need for controlling the size of the government, de-regulating the economy, developing markets, ending protectionism and being the part of global value chain. There should be an autonomous body to make critical decisions on the debt and devising strategies for overcoming the debt burden the country is facing, alongside there should also be a growth commission. People are the real value of a country; therefore, the government should invest in the people.

M Abdul Aleem thanked Dr Nadeem ul Haque and Dr Durr e Nayab for his insightful discussion and shared that OICCI is fully supporting of de-regulating the economy and improve the ease of doing business, developing markets and broadening the tax base.