This is reference to Albayrak Group of Turkey setting up modern radio cab service in Lahore. Direct foreign investment in setting up key industries accompanied with transfer of technology which we may not possess currently or are not well conversant with is desirable and even essential to make Pakistan self sufficient. Turkey could help us in acquiring technology which they posses and in which we lack expertise. We are a country which has proven capability to develop and acquire nuclear technology for our strategic defense requirement. Given the will and commitment we have human resources and technological skills to manufacture JF-17 Thunder in collaboration with China.
Pakistan is neither Rwanda nor Sierra Leone that it lacks human resources or skills to manage modern taxi service or solid waste management system. For us to encourage investment is such fields like running a yellow taxi service is not understandable, because those who have invested will transfer their earnings in foreign exchange to their own country, which would lead to depletion of our already scarce foreign exchange reserves. It pains me to see our elected political leadership seeking advice from airlines like Qatar or Emirates, which we helped to get started, when all that was needed was restricting political interference, a level playing field, restricting traffic rights to bilateral agreements and selecting qualified professionals with integrity, instead of appointing cronies driving PIA to bankruptcy.
While foreign investment in construction of Orange Train scheme is understandable, although there is a debate about this not being a priority, it involves technology which we are not current with, especially drilling underground tunnels below built up congested city, ensuring no damage to archaeological buildings of historical significance. Running a modern radio cab service is no rocket science. All that is needed is to provide centrally located land for parking and a congenial bureaucracy with a well disciplined traffic police, strict regulatory oversight and law enforcement for security to Pakistani investors, who do not hold any other nationality, so that there is no transfer of earnings abroad.
ALI MALIK TARIQ
Lahore
