The prevailing growth strategy of the country has failed to absorb teeming millions of unemployed workforce and government should adopt an inclusive growth strategy to create new jobs and reduce poverty.This was said by Mr.Zahid Maqbool, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry in a statement.

He said the recent Economic Survey of Pakistan shows positive growth in all three major sectors of the economy i.e. manufacturing, agriculture and services, but this growth could not create proper employment opportunities, especially for low-skilled, semi-skilled, illiterate and the poor people.

He said this phenomenon has aggravated the sufferings of the poor segments of society. He said that if growth does not produce jobs, then its main purpose of fostering sustainable development and alleviating poverty will eventually be defeated.

Accordingly, there is a dire need for a paradigm shift from jobless growth to inclusive growth where everybody should enjoy the fruits of economic progress and income gaps are not widened between different segments of society, he stressed.

Mr.Zahid Maqbool said that growth models of Japan, Korea and China are good examples of inclusive growth where income gap did not widen during the process of their economic development.