PM Shahbaz’s Karachi Visit Highlights Economic and Healthcare Reforms

PM inaugurates a faceless customs system

recognized the achievements of PSX, and launched

a healthcare manual at Aga Khan University

Associated Press of Pakistan

Karachi: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, during his visit to Karachi on Wednesday, emphasized economic reforms and healthcare advancements as pivotal for Pakistan’s progress. His engagements included inaugurating a faceless customs system, recognizing the achievements of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), and launching a groundbreaking healthcare manual at Aga Khan University.

PM Launches Faceless Customs Assessment System

At the South Asia Terminals Pakistan (SAPT), the Prime Minister inaugurated the Faceless Customs Assessment System (Central Appraising Unit). This system aims to streamline customs operations and reduce processing times, with Goods Declaration now taking only 10 to 20 minutes. He commended the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and customs officers for their contributions and proposed a third-party evaluation to ensure continued efficiency.

The Prime Minister highlighted significant achievements, including an 11% increase in exports and a 34% rise in IT exports. He lauded the reduction of the average Bill of Entry (BOE) processing time from 42 to 19 hours during the system’s experimental phase and expressed confidence in achieving a target of 12 hours.

He emphasized the need to reduce electricity prices to boost agriculture and exports and suggested involving provinces in energy cost management. He also proposed rewarding customs officials making additional recoveries with a 10% cash incentive. The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with achieving revenue targets committed to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Recognizing PSX’s Global Achievement

At the Pakistan Stock Exchange, the Prime Minister celebrated PSX’s exceptional performance, which positioned it as the world’s top stock market. He stressed the importance of transforming macroeconomic stability into sustainable economic growth.

He highlighted collective efforts leading to economic stabilization and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to reforms. He also encouraged collaboration among government functionaries, investors, and exporters to build on this success.

Healthcare Milestone at Aga Khan University

Concluding his visit, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif attended the launch of the Aga Khan University (AKU) Manual of Clinical Practice Guidelines. This US GRADE-endorsed resource integrates global best practices with local expertise, addressing Pakistan’s healthcare challenges. It is expected to improve outcomes for over 21 million people annually and potentially avert 280,000 deaths.

The Prime Minister commended AKU’s commitment to advancing healthcare and its collaboration with public institutions. He described the manual as a transformative tool for elevating healthcare standards and addressing hurdles such as limited rural access and shortages of skilled professionals.

He highlighted Punjab’s healthcare advancements during his tenure as Chief Minister, including the establishment of world-class tertiary care hospitals like Sheikh Zayed and the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI). He emphasized integrating technology, artificial intelligence, and telemedicine into healthcare systems to expand access and improve outcomes.

The event also featured a Healthcare Leadership Roundtable, led by the Prime Minister, which brought together senior healthcare leaders and policymakers to discuss strengthening healthcare infrastructure and policy reforms.

Closing Remarks

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s visit underscored his government’s commitment to economic and healthcare reforms. From technological innovations in customs operations to advancements in healthcare, the initiatives launched during his visit aim to transform key sectors and improve the quality of life for Pakistanis.