Chinese investors to be facilitated, says CM

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said on Wednesday that the provincial government would provide all facilities to Chinese investors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He was talking to a team of investors, who visited Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

An official handout said that the chief minister hosted a dinner for the visiting Chinese investors at the Chief Minister’s House here. The investors represented 250 entrepreneurs of the private sector in China. They expressed keenness to invest in different sectors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The chief minister said the provincial government would facilitate the Chinese investors willing to make investment in the province. He said the government wanted industrialisation to utilise raw material and other resources of the province. “We are undertaking the process of industrialisation,” he maintained.

The chief minister said the government had sketched out a facilitation package for potential investors. “The incentives that we are offering have also attracted domestic investors,” he added.

He directed the relevant authorities to nominate a focal person to arrange briefings in different departments of the province and finalise comprehensive proposals.

 Meanwhile, the visiting Chinese investors on Wednesday expressed keenness to invest in mineral sector of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The interest to invest in mineral sector was shown by an 18-member delegation, led by Chan, the president of Chinese Overseas Investment Union (COIU), during a meeting with Secretary Minerals Development Department Syed Abdul Jabbar Shah here.

The Chinese delegates expressed keenness in Indus Gold small scale projects and other mineral titles and said that a conductive atmosphere was available here for foreign investors and they would get benefits from the investment opportunities. Chief Executive Officer Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade (KP-BOIT) Nazeer Awan, Director Planning Minerals Department Syed Bilal Khisro, Director General Minerals Fazli Wahid and other officials were also present on the occasion, said an official communiqué.

Director Planning Bilal Khisro briefed the delegation about the rich reserves of minerals and apprised them of the attractive offers of provincial government for investment in the sector.

They were told the government was providing attractive facilities in small, medium and large scale mining for foreign investors.

“Under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, a conductive environment is also available for Chinese investors to invest in granite, gold and other minerals,” the official said.

He said under the CPEC investment plan, the provincial mineral sector was on top priority and that they were trying to boost the sector in which the Chinese investors could contribute their major role.

The official said they would welcome the Chinese investors to invest in exchange of technology, direct investment, joint venture and other possible ways. The two sides agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding soon.