‘Pakistan Govt taking serious steps to promote investments’

LAHORE ( WNAM REPORT): Federal Minister for Board of Investment, Privatization and Communications Abdul Aleem Khan and Federal Minister of Commerce Jam Kamal Khan while addressing the 9th Footwear Manufacturers Association Show said that the present Government intends to increase investment in the country and for this purpose we are making serious efforts to put more investment. They added that the positive results have also been started to emerge and the participation of more than 800 investors and companies from 70 countries in the recent conference in Karachi is proof of this. Federal Minister for Board of Investment Abdul Aleem Khan said that our companies should market their brands to other countries in a good manner and take positive steps keeping in view the competitive atmosphere, international standards and modern trends. He said that the bilateral partnership of Pakistani companies and Chinese institutions has been already started through mutual investment while there is sufficient scope for export of leather industry, footwear and sports goods for which the Board of Investment will provide all kinds of facilitation. Federal Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan said that China and Pakistan can prove to be a big market for each other in various products and the Ministry of Commerce is providing full support to the investors of both countries in the light of the orders of the Prime Minister. Federal Ministers Abdul Aleem Khan and Jam Kamal Khan inspected the products displayed in the 9th Pakistan Footwear and Manufacturers Show and appreciated the standards of Pakistani companies where 25 prominent Pakistani and Chinese companies participated. China Association invited Federal Ministers Abdul Aleem Khan and Jam Kamal Khan to visit China.
Later, Federal Ministers Jam Kamal Khan and Abdul Aleem Khan participated in the B2B meeting between Chinese and Pakistani companies where they said that the visit to China of last month led by the Prime Minister has been very beneficial and the Pakistani Embassy in China has increased the number of Commercial and Trade Officers up to 20 in order to promote trade activities between the two countries. Senior persons of Chinese Companies presented shields to the Federal Ministers and appreciated their cooperation.
Responding to media questions, Federal Minister for Privatization Abdul Aleem Khan said that the privatization of PIA is progressing smoothly, 6 companies have been shortlisted and the date of October 1 has been fixed. The loss of 100 billion will be saved and the citizens will get an international standard airline, Abdul Aleem Khan added. Federal Minister for Privatization that all the state owned enterprises in deficit will be privatized as doing business is domain of private institutions and not the Government. Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan said in his media talk that the energy crisis will have to be dealt with for the promotion of commercial activities, as well as the ease of business and issues related to FBR have to be resolved. Federal Minister for Commerce said that things are rapidly improving and especially the arrival of 800 companies from more than 70 countries to Pakistan is encouraging and good omen.