close
Thursday April 18, 2024

US, Afghanistan cause of disorder in KP: Imran

Addresses investment conference in Dubai; says foreign entrepreneurs should invest in KP; corruption level lower in KP than other provinces

By our correspondents
February 26, 2015
DUBAI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday said the US and Afghanistan were the cause for the deterioration of the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the corruption level is relatively lower than in other provinces.
He urged foreign entrepreneurs to invest in KP, adding that the security situation in the province was improving.Addressing an investment conference in Dubai, the PTI chief said that the volume of violence was coming down in the region as the US was withdrawing its forces from Afghanistan.
Imran Khan told the participants that entrepreneurs were risk-takers and this was the time to invest in KP. He said returns on investment were impressive in the province.Khan said investors typically look at security and governance before investing anywhere, adding security and governance both had improved in the KP.
“In KP, governance standards have improved compared to the other three provinces,” he said, adding the security situation was also improving as the provincial police system was completely overhauled.
Since coming to power in KP following the May 2013 general elections, the PTI-led government has set up a special investment promotion cell, seeking investment in sectors like energy, power, tourism, mines and minerals, health, education, etc. He said the investment conference was held in Dubai due to security issues in Pakistan. He said that a separate office would be established at the CM House for foreign investors. Imran Khan said that the purpose of his trip to Dubai was to bring investments for KP. He said any politician with a spotless career could join his party.
The PTI chief’s remarks came a day after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MNA from Karachi, Nabeel Gabol, resigned from the National Assembly and announced to part ways with the party he had joined in 2013.
“Anybody who has a clean political career can join us. We will say welcome to every person who has no corruption charges,” said Khan, while replying to a question about Gabol’s possible joining of PTI.