News: Skills need to be upgraded
Name of the Newspaper: The Nation
Date of publication: Tuesday, March 13 , 2007
Website:http://www.nation.com.pk/

ISLAMABAD - Only the independent judiciary, free media, efficient bureaucracy and a dynamic private sector can guarantee sustainable economic growth, maintains the first State of Pakistan’s Competitiveness 2007 report launched by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Monday.

The Competitiveness report, prepared by Competitiveness Support Fund (CSF) aimed at improving Pakistan’s ranking on Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), which currently is at number 91st.

The report says that though the government has already implemented some reforms that led to improve climate of doing business but much remains to be done.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz addressing a launvhing ceremony of the report on "Competitiveness: A Cornerstone of PaKistan's Growth Strategy" held at Prime Minister Secretariat.- Staff Photo by Sajjad Ali Qureshi

“Institutions and regulations are slow and burdensome, labour and capital markets are insufficient, infrastructure and skills require upgrading to make growth possible and standards of production and quality must be brought up to international level”, the report confides.

The report also recommended a coordinated effort at the federal, provincial, district and municipal level to achieve sustainable growth and improving competitiveness ranking.

The paper set short-term and long-term objectives to increase the rating. The short-term objectives include the promotion of cell phone, computer and internet usage, reduction in budget deficit and inflation.

In long-term strategies the report strongly recommended access to health and education, the sectors which became a cause of low ranking on GCI and earned low scores owing to poor conditions of these sectors.

In health and education sector Pakistan obtained 112th position and in higher education and training it won 106th position on GCI. The paper also urged the private sector to improve its competitiveness by focusing on corporate governance and modern management of human resources.
According to 2006-07 GCI Pakistan ranked in corporate board efficiency at number 123, property rights 98, primary enrollment 112, infant mortality 109, tuberculosis prevalence 101, extent of staff training in higher education 91, cellular telephone 115, personal computers 113, internet users 107, efficiency of legal framework 95 and extent of incentive competition 94, out of 125 countries.

The earned positions are depicting pathetic conditions of the respective areas which caused an ordinal position 91st in GCI.

In Business Competitiveness Index (BCI) where Pakistan stood at 67th position also have certain weakness that if removed can further increase the country’s rating, the report reveals.
The report recommended that to improve productivity a strong private sector was required. The private sector ought to improve corporate governance, opt modern management and motivation of the work force.

The report also recommended micro-economic reforms, active leadership role and a coordinated effort by both pubic and private sectors for improving competitiveness.

On implementation of recommended strategies Pakistan would increase its global rating by 8-10 places per year to between 60-65 on the GCI by 2010