Thailand Overseas Investment Center

Pakistan offers tremendous opportunities for investment: president

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain has stated that as the present government was keen to provide a level playing field to all international and local businesses, Pakistan offered tremendous opportunities for foreign direct investment.

“Our skilled human resource, relatively low wages and worthwhile business incentives are important factors to induce investment,” the President said while speaking at a dinner he hosted for the participants of Pakistan-China Business Forum 2015 here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Sunday night.

He said the Government of Pakistan ensures the protection of investment, profit repatriation and equal treatment in matters of taxation.

The president said as business entrepreneurs always look for new markets and investment opportunities, Pakistan is surely the country where investment guarantees lucrative profits.

“It is a large market with 200 million people, offering huge demographic dividends. I, therefore, urge you to avail the vast market opportunities in Pakistan and to exploit this tremendous business potential,” he added.

The president noted with satisfaction that China and Pakistan enjoy deep-rooted relations, strengthened by eternal bonds of brotherhood and good will, adding, “Our deep historical friendly relationship has stood the test of time.”

Referring to his visit to China in February last year, the president said the two sides agreed to strengthen strategic coordination and practical cooperation and to build a China-Pakistan community with a shared destiny.

“We are grateful for China’s long-term support. The people of Pakistan highly value their unparalleled friendly relation with the people of China,” he added.

The president said the government and people of Pakistan were eagerly looking forward to President Xi Jinping’s prospective state visit to Pakistan in the near future.

“We are looking forward to an early completion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor development project that would further enhance and augment connectivity and cement our trade and investment ties”, he added.

The president said the Pak-China Business Forum holds special significance in strengthening the bilateral business and trade relations between the two countries.

He said the themes of the Pak-China Business Forum 2015 highlighted some of the crucial areas of concern to Pakistan, adding, finding workable solutions to energy-crisis, water shortages and contamination, and advancement in information and communication technologies were the formidable challenges posed to us in the 21st century.

“At the same time, we are keen to create a peaceful and secure environment for economic revival and poverty alleviation through creation of new jobs. I am confident this Forum will further elevate the Pakistan-China friendship to yet newer heights.”

The President noted with satisfaction that more than 200 Chinese organizations representing technology, automobile, financial investment, food, agriculture, construction, chemicals, tourism, Information and Communications Technology and other business sectors are participating in the 2015 Pak-China Business Forum.

“On the same note, the representation of over 250 Pakistani entrepreneurs is also a significant achievement and speaks about the valuable contributions made by the similar Forums held since 2012”, he added.

The President commended the organizers behind the Pak-China Business Forum, particularly the Ministry of Science and Technology and the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, to have conceived such a vibrant forum with great potential for the future.

He also recognized the cooperation extended by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and industry (FPCCI), the National Testing Service (NTS) and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in making this event a great success. The president said, “We regard and respect China as a strategic partner in trade, economic and business relations. We shall be happy to render you all possible assistance to enable you to invest in Pakistan.”

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Sun Weidong in his remarks on the occasion spoke of strong and historic Pakistan-China friendly relations and said the two sides could benefit from each other’s advantages in diverse areas. He also mentioned the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project as a strong evidence of Pak-China strategic ties and said the project which had entered the stage of implementation.

The Chinese Ambassador said the Economic Corridor will benefit the whole region, adding, Pakistan and China were cooperating in the areas of energy, transportation, infrastructure, science and technology, poverty alleviation etc.

He said since 2015 was being celebrated as the year of Pak-China friendship, President Xi Jinping’s official visit to Pakistan this year will prove a remarkable milestone in Pak-China ties.

Ambassador Sun termed Pakistan and China as “good friends, neighbours and iron-brothers” and said China wished Pakistan a peaceful, prosperous and harmonious country. 

CR:http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/31-Mar-2015/pakistan-offers-tremendous-opportunities-for-investment-president