Facilitating local, foreign investors govt’s priority: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has observed that encouraging and facilitating local as well as foreign investors to take advantage of the huge existing business opportunities has remained the foremost priority of the present government.

As a result of structured approach and ensuring continuity of the economic policies by the present government, confidence of the business community has restored and economy has been put on a solid track to achieve sustainable growth.

He was talking to the members of managing committee of the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) who called on the Prime Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Wednesday. The Prime Minister said that the government is committed to take relevant stakeholders on-board in the policy formulation process as well as ensuring unimpeded implementation of the policies.

He maintained that the government would continue to welcome all suggestions aimed at removing bottlenecks and improving ease of doing business in the country. Federal Minister for Commerce Muhammad Pervaiz Malik, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Ali Jahangir Siddiqui and senior officials were present during the meeting.

Khalid Mansoor, President OICCI, presented to the Prime Minister results of perception and investment survey 2017 conducted in November 2017 among the leading 190 foreign investors who are members of OICCI. He informed the Prime Minister that the survey reflected improved and positive sentiments of the foreign investors who foresee continuedgrowth trajectory due to improved security situation and major policy initiatives by the present government. He said that majority of the respondents plan to make new or further enhance their investments in the next 1 to 5 years, as compared to what they had been making in the previous corresponding years.

He expressed the hope that new investments in business and human capital would boost revenues and profitability. President OICCI also shared certain concerns pertaining to ease of doing business, inter-provincial coordination and tax-related issues. He presented suggestions for further improvement of business environment in the country.