Exim Bank chairman expresses interest in investment; praises government policies
LAHORE
A delegation headed by Exim Bank of America Chairman Fred P. Hochberg called on Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Islamabad Monday. Matters regarding trade, economy and investment in development projects were discussed in the meeting. The delegation expressed its interest in investment in Pakistan. American Ambassador in Pakistan David Hale was also on the occasion.
Talking to the delegation, the chief minister said that work was being carried out speedily on energy projects, including generation of power with alternative resources in the various areas of Punjab to meet the demand for energy. He said that projects of public welfare and infrastructure development were also being implemented expeditiously. He said there was a vast scope of investment in Pakistan and maximum facilities were being provided to investors. He said that the pace of economic development had accelerated in country under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He said that international monetary institutions and different countries were giving preference to Pakistan for investment due to which new business and employment opportunities were being created.
He said that due to stable financial policies of the government, the process of trade and economic development had accelerated in country which would leave a positive impact on national economy.
He said that the pivot of economic policies of the government was people's prosperity and measures were being taken in this regard. He also referred to the efforts for the achievement of the targets of socio-economic development and provision of better facilities in social sectors.
Exim Bank Chairman expressed interest in investment in Pakistan and appreciated the government policies for economic development and stability. The American delegation included American Consul General Zachary Harkenrider, Vice-President American Trade Finance Ms Annette B Maresh, Senior Vice-President Trade Finance Scot. P. Schloegel, Director Scheduling Christopher M. Semenas and American diplomats while Federal Secretary for Water & Power Muhammad Younis, Secretary Economic Affairs Division Tariq Bajwa, Planning & Development Chairman, Provincial Secretary Energy, CEO NPPCL and DG LDA were also present on the occasion.
Transplant institute: Shahbaz Sharif has said the project of Pakistan Kidney and Liver Transplant Institute is a milestone in the provision of quality health facilities to the masses.
He said that this institute would be state-of-the-art regarding modern treatment of kidney and liver diseases and free medical facilities would be available to poor, destitute and deserving patients.
According to a handout, the CM stated this while presiding over a meeting here Monday which reviewed progress on Pakistan Kidney and Liver Transplant Institute and Research Centre project. The CM on the occasion said that Pakistan Kidney and Liver Transplant Institute and Research Centre would be a masterpiece of medical science, clinical research and provision of treatment facilities and would be on a par with the standard of the best institutes of its kind in the world.
The chief minister said that the latest medical facilities would be available to kidney and liver patients under one-roof in the institute. He said that under-graduate and post-graduate facilities of medical education would also be available at the institute for doctors, nurses and paramedics. He directed that the project should be executed with a national spirit and provincial and federal institutions concerned should work on the project expeditiously.
The chief minister said that government was utilising maximum resources for the provision of quality healthcare to the poor.
He said that kidney and liver transplant facility would also be available with the completion of the project. He said that Pakistan Kidney and Liver Transplant Institute and Research Centre project would be a splendid addition to public health facilities and this project would also be a masterpiece of standard and transparency like other projects of the Punjab government.
delegation: Shahbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan is moving towards peace, progress and prosperity under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He said that besides public welfare projects, work is also being carried out on projects of power generation with speed and transparency.
He was talking to elected representatives of Pakistan Muslim League-N. The chief minister said that sit-ins politics had created a lot of problems in the process of development and prosperity of the masses and the visit of Chinese president was also postponed due to sit-ins which hampered the projects of billions of dollars while a huge loss was caused to the national economy. He said that had the visit of Chinese president not been postponed, load-shedding would have been removed from the country.
He said that masses rejected enemies of progress and prosperity in general elections and also in local government elections but these elements now again wanted to create hurdles in the process of national progress and prosperity for the achievement of their selfish interests. He said that enlightened people of Pakistan had always rejected such elements and would not be hoodwinked by them. He said that Pakistan could not afford the politics of protests. He said that it was not the time for politics of narrow interests but to serve the country. Shahbaz Sharif said that China had given a historic package of 46 billion dollars to bolster Pakistan’ economy which was an invaluable gift for the Pakistani people and there was a need to take full benefit from this package for moving forward.
He said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor was a guarantee to progress and prosperity of Pakistan and the projects under CPEC were being speedily implemented. He said that completion of CPEC projects would result in progress of Pakistan as well as creation of lakhs of job opportunities. He said that politically conscious people of Pakistan would not allow anyone to create hurdles in the process of progress and prosperity and the nefarious designs of such elements would be foiled as before.