Pakistan has become investment-friendly country: president Arif Alvi

LAHORE: President Dr Arif Alvi Thursday said Pakistan had become an investment-friendly country due to effective economic policies of the government.

He was addressing the 5th China Agro Chemical (CAC) Pakistan Summit at the Expo Centre here. Urging the international community to invest in the country, he said there was a vast scope of investment in the country, especially in agriculture sector. He said friendship of Pakistan and China was exemplary and both countries knew their regional and cultural matters.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan was also a great admirer of China and its development made in the past few decades, adding that the PM appreciated Chinese positive role for peace in the world in his UN General Assembly speech. "The both countries are working for peace and economic development in the region," he said.

The president said China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project would play a vital role in improving economy, peace and environment of the regional countries. He said China had worked a lot in agriculture and the both countries should exchange their expertise in the sector.

The president appreciated China for its work in seeds production and said Pakistan should also benefit from its research. He expressed his pleasure over implementation of the second phase of the Free Trade Agreement between Pakistan and China from this December and urged traders to enhance trade with the friendly country.

He criticised India for not cooperating in sustaining peace as well as environmental issues in the region, adding that all minorities, including Muslims, Christians and Buddhists were facing hardships in India.

About the national economy, Dr Alvi said it was good news for the people that economic indicators were positive, which were bringing about healthy changes in the business activities. Later, the president inaugurated the CAC exhibition and visited stalls.

Our correspondent adds: President Dr Arif Alvi has said the philosophy of Allama Iqbal, under which Pakistan was created, is still alive and added that even today the Two-Nation Theory has proved that it was need of the time. Addressing a seminar titled ‘Riyasat-e-Madina, Mumlikat-e-Pakistan and Fikr-e-Iqbal’, organised by the Iqbal Academy at Aiwan-e-Iqbal here on Thursday, he said (Indian Premier Narendra) Modi was responsible for massacre of Muslims in Indian Gujarat, who also snatched the rights of citizenship from Muslims in his country.

PTI Central Punjab President Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry Punjab Minister for School Education Dr Murad Raas, Ali Imtiaz Warraich, Khwaja Aamer Raza, Zaheer Ahmed Mir, Dr Tahir Hamid and others were also present.

Dr Alvi said the PTI government wanted to make Pakistan a modern Islamic welfare country, the one which would be recognised by the entire world. He condemned Indian aggression against innocent Kashmiris and said Kashmir was focus of Pakistan. He appreciated efforts by Prime Minister Imran Khan to highlight the Kashmir issue globally.

Ejaz Chaudhry said Iqbaliyat should be part of curriculum and added Iqbaliyat section would be set up in libraries across Pakistan. He said Muslims of Subcontinent could not think of an independent country if they did not have leaders like Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal.

He also demanded President Dr Arif Alvi create a Ministry of Iqbaliyat. Later, the president also distributed shields and certificates among the organisers of the seminar.