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       ISLAMABAD: Prime Minis-ter Shehbaz Sharif has asked his party’s leaders to increase the interaction with their constituents and resolve their problems on a priority basis.

       The PML-N lawmakers, who met the prime minister on Thurs-day, have asked for more development funds to be spent in their constituencies in the next budget.

       A statement from the Prime Minister Office (PMO) said Mr Sharif separately met with MNAs Muhammad Idrees, Ehsanul Haque Bajwa and party leaders Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha and Shah Muhammad Shah.

       The PML-N leaders “lauded the prime minister” for stabilising the economy, the press release said.

       In meeting with PM, party leaders say money imperative to ‘solve people’s problems’; PM seeks plan to increase exports to $60bn

       A source in the PMO told Dawn that the legislators were of the view that the government had completed its one year in power and now was the time to resolve peoples’ problems.

       In this regard, they asked the PM for more funds to initiate development schemes in their respective constituencies.

       Health reforms

       Later, PM Shehbaz directed the authorities to make the Drug Pricing Committee (DPC) effective and stronger to make medicines more affordable.

       He also called for the induction of experts into the policy board of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, which regulates the pharma sector.

       The prime minister directed that a drug testing laboratory sho-uld be established in Islamabad to ensure the quality of medicines as per international standards, according to a press release issued after the meeting to review reforms in the health and pharmaceutical sectors. He instructed that mobile hospitals should be launched to provide health facilities in the outskirts of Islamabad, Gilgit Baltis-tan, Azad Kashmir and Balochistan.

       The prime minister ordered an operation, in collaboration with provincial governments, against counterfeit drugs. He said a comprehensive plan should be made for better regulation and development of the pharmaceutical sector in cooperation with the provinces.

       The prime minister said R&D in the field of medicine was vital to increase pharmaceutical exp-orts. The meeting was informed that the digital registration of locally manufactured drugs was in its final phase, and consultation on the National Drug Policy was ongoing.

       $60bn exports

       Separately, the PM sought a comprehensive and effective strategy to take the exports to $60 billion in the next five years. He also issued directives for competitive electricity tariffs to achieve economic progress and enhance exports.

       Mr Sharif said the tariffs should be reduced, and a strategy should be adopted to increase the production capacity of industries. He stressed that special attention should be paid to services, information technology and agriculture sectors.

       During the meeting, the prime minister was briefed on steps taken to reform the Ministry of Commerce and increase exports.

       The meeting was told that consultation was continuing with all stakeholders on the Strategic Trade Policy Framework 2025-30, and the e-commerce policy was in the final stage of completion.

       It will be presented for the cabinet’s approval next month. A National Compliance Center, meant to increase the industries’ capacity for more exports, has also been set up, according to officials.

       Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2025