LONDON: Chaudhri Nazir Ahmad Khan, Pakistan Minister for Industries, told a meeting here last night [Oct 1] that the decision not to join the Commonwealth raw material price stabilisation plans was taken to preserve and further Pakistan`s economic well-being. `We would not accept any artificial depression of the prices of our raw materials,` he declared.

The Minister stated that the precious raw materials were the country`s asset and that any outside interference with their trading would be detrimental to the interests of Pakistan.

Chaudhri Nazir Ahmad spoke on the `economic future of Pakistan` to a largely attended meeting at the Islamic Cultural Centre in London yesterday evening. Mr Habib Ibrahim Rahimtoola, the Pakistan High Commissioner, presided over the meeting.

Chaudhri Nazir Ahmad told the meeting that immense potentialities exist in Pakistan for industrialisation. ... The Minister disclosed that an untapped wealth of minerals exists in Pakistan, which when developed, may open new vistas in the country for many industries. Dawn London Office