PM assures foreign investors of safe working environment; says economy on high growth path
Says 25 industrial zones are being established on three routes of CPEC to generate thousands of job opportunities
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday inaugurated the Pakistan Investment Conference in Islamabad and assured business delegations from 29 countries of a safe working environment in Pakistan.
In his speech to the business community, the premier told businessmen that Pakistan is committed to eliminating the menace of terrorism from its soil.
He said that successes achieved by the armed forces in operation Zarb-e-Azb were proof of Pakistan’s commitment in this regard.
While talking about government’s achievements in attracting foreign investment, the PM cited the landmark China -Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project and said that the project would not only connect South and Central Asia but would also create a large number of employment opportunities and a favourable environment for economic progress.
“Pakistan has entered into an agreement with Russia for the establishment of a $2billion North-South gas pipeline and is also working on a similar project between Nawabshah and Gwadar port,” said the PM.
Encouraging the investors, the PM said that his government is committed to providing a safe and sound working environment to investors in the private sector, both foreign and local.
“People’s trust in the present government is evident from the result of local government elections,” the PM said.
He told the prospective investors that his government was providing loans to the unemployed youth and the projects to end load shedding by 2017 were already under construction.
“International financial and monetary groups and observers have called Pakistan’s progress satisfactory for investment,” said Sharif.
The prime minister said Pakistan had embarked on the path of high growth economy and was heading towards a bright future. He said that our goal is to keep the government out of the market and facilitate the private sector to thrive and serve as the engine of growth.
He said that some hard decisions had been taken for increasing the pace of development in the country and the remarkable turnaround made by the economy had also been recognized by the world’s leading ratings companies.
The prime minister said that twenty five industrial zones were being established on the three routes of China Pakistan Economic Corridor to generate thousands of job opportunities.
Sharif said coal, gas, solar and wind power projects were being established to end power outages by 2017. In addition, the government was also working on hydel projects including the fourth extension of Tarbela and Dasu Dam. Projects like Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India (TAPI) gas pipeline project and CASA 1000 would also bring energy in the system and promote regional connectivity.
He said that Pakistan desires peace within and outside its borders. He reiterated the desire to have friendly relations with all the neighbors and the world at large for sustainable development.
Apprising the investors about the internal security situation, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said that Zarb-e-Azb operation had broken the back of the terrorists.
He said peace and tranquility in the country provided excellent opportunity to the investors to fully utilize pro-investor policies of the government.
In his welcome address, Chairman Board of Investment Miftah Ismail said Pakistan is blessed with human and natural resources which make it the most attractive place for investment.