PM invites foreign business leaders to invest in Pakistan

DUBAI, Feb 10: Prime Minister Imran Khan Sunday while apprising the international gathering at 7th edition of World Government Summit here about his government’s reforms agenda, told the world investors that it was high time they should invest in Pakistan amid relaxed visa regime and openness for ease of doing business.

“This is the time – my last word to the investors– this is the time to come to Pakistan when it is just going on the upswing. This is the time to invest in the country and don’t miss the boat,” the prime minister remarked in his keynote address at the Summit.

Themed "shaping the future of governments”, the Summit attracted the global policy makers from government and private sectors. In total, more than 4,000 decision-makers from 140 countries, including heads of state, ministers and business leaders, gathered at the international event to help shape the future of the planet.

The prime minister arrived here earlier in the day along with a high level delegation, including Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi, Advisor to PM on Commerce Abdul Razzak Dawood and Advisor to PM on Institutional Reforms Dr Ishrat Hussain.

The prime minister's day-along visit comes at the invitation of Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said during his international cricketing career, he had seen lot of players with immense talent but they never made it big for being scared of loss and did not take risks. Eventually, the ones, who took both chances and risks, were the ones who made it big, he added.

Highlighting his government’s measures to tackle fiscal deficit by increasing the exports and attracting the investment, the prime minister said it was the time Pakistan would take off.

He said the government had opened up the market to investors and allowed them to make money that would ultimately bring the people out of poverty.

He said the government was bringing serious reforms to bring ease of doing business, besides introducing tax reforms.

Citing the immense tourism potential in Pakistan, the prime minister said his country was home to one of the best mountains, half of the world’s highest peaks, 1000 kilometers long coast line, the oldest civilizations and the oldest living cities. Besides, Pakistan also had huge potential of religious tourism as it was home to the worship places of Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhism. "For Sufism, we have the highest number of Sufi shrines," he added.

The prime minister said Pakistan had opened up it visa regime and announced visa on arrival facility for 70 countries.

(APP)