Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Friday said the country’s economic growth was directly linked with the fast sustainable growth of exports.

He was talking to a delegation of exporters, which called on him here at the PM House.

The prime minister said the exporters being the backbone of the national economy, were extremely important for the government as they were playing a key role in the country’s development.

The country’s economy would attain sustainable growth when the export sector showed fast growth, he added.

PM Shehbaz said the government was providing all possible facilities to promote non-traditional exports.

He expressed the government’s resolve to make all the decisions in the larger interest of the people and the country.

The government, he said, was taking measures to boost the export to GDP ratio. The payment of sales tax refunds to the traders and industrialists was also being ensured timely, he added.

The prime minister warned the relevant authorities that no laxity would be tolerated in that regard.

He directed the federal ministers to consult with the delegation to ensure the resolution of all their issues.

The exporters expressed gratitude to the prime minister and the government for announcing a historic cut in the electricity prices for the industrial sector, terming it a breath of fresh air.

They also expressed their full confidence in the government’s economic policies and assured their all-out cooperation. They said they would fully support the government in taking action against tax evaders and those adversely affecting the revenue for the national exchequer.

Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik, Power Minister Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, Minister of State for Finance Ali Pervaiz Malik, Minister of State for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Salman Ahmed and relevant high officials attended the meeting.