Mirza Ishtiaq Baig (Economist): It is a great development that new people are added to the tax networks that resulted in achieving the targets set for the tax collection. The government and other stakeholders deserve appreciation in this regard. Special thanks to the Chief of Army Staff who put personal efforts in achieving the milestone. In his address to the business community, COAs ensured to take all possible measures to bring stability in the economy. The main achievement was to control the smuggling of dollars to Afghanistan which helped in stabilizing the economy. The year 2023 proved to be the worst year for the economy but the bad days are over and we are expecting the year 2024 to be a bright year as far as the economy is concerned. Pakistan managed to fulfill the demands of the IMF and we are expecting another 700 million tranche from the IMF soon. 

Dr. Talat Shabbir (Director China Pakistan Study Centre): Pakistan and China have been in comprehensive relations including economy, strategic partnership and other fields of life. During the last seven decades, Pakistan and China ran into regional and global political enormities but stood by each other on their core issues.  Pakistan has become pivotal to China’s politico-economic scheme in the regional and global context. As far as CPEC is concerned, China heavily invested in Pakistan at the time when no other country was willing to invest. Now we are in the industrial affiliation under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor project that will boost the industrial sector in the country. CPEC will be proved as historic and once in a lifetime opportunity for strengthening the economy. Gwadar port is the hallmark of this mega project that will change the destiny of the country.

Brig (Retd) Ahmed Saeed Minhas (Defense Analyst): The Caretaker Prime Minister is visiting different universities and replying to the tough questions of the students with great confidence. Today, the Prime Minister visited Beacon house School and while replying to a question, he categorically stated that the protest is the right of everyone but using violence as a tool for the fulfillment of the demand is never acceptable. The Prime Minister tried to make the student realize that the non-state actors are finding the grounds against the state in order to destabilize the country. These elements want to impose their agendas by the use of force. In 2004, in the war against terrorism, when the security forces started operations against the militants, these militants fled to Afghanistan and are now operating terrorist activities in Pakistan again. The state is always superior and the government needs to ensure the writ in the country.