KP govt, investors: 44 MoUs worth $8 bn signed at Dubai Expo

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, investors and international firms on Sunday signed 44 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) to invest in various sectors of the province.

The international firms evinced keen interest to invest in projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa tourism, Integrated Tourism Zones (ITZs), Water Sports Theme Park in Hund, Swabi, industries, energy and power, infrastructure, food processing livestock and other sectors at the Investment Conference held at the Dubai Expo, said a communique received here.

KP Minister Taimur Salim Jhgara was chief guest while Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, provincial ministers Shaukat Yousafzai, Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Trade and Industries Abdul Karim Khan, lawmaker Ziaullah Bangash, Pakistan Ambassador to UAE Afzaal Mahmood, Secretary for Sports, Tourism, Archaeology, Culture, Museums and Youth Affairs Amir Sultan Tareen, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) Director General Kamran Ahmad Afridi and others attended the conference.

CEOs of Samara Group, Mazaya Group (EGI), Jannat & A.J Group, Almasa Group and a number of international and Dubai-based investors expressed willingness to invest in various projects of KP tourism sector.

The organisers showcased a number of projects to the investors in the Investment Conference in tourism and other sectors, said a communique received here. Speaking on the occasion, Taimur Jhagra said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf led government was promoting businesses and tourism in line with the visions of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and steps were being taken to lure more tourists and investors to the province.

He said that KP had vast investment opportunities in tourism, industries, energy and power, infrastructure, food processing livestock and other sectors. He said that Swat Expressway was built under public-private partnership and now it was being extended to other cities to promote trade, industries and economy in the area.

He said the provincial government had introduced the first Special Economic Zones in Rashakai and elsewhere in the province and now the investors were coming to invest in the industries being established there.

A detailed briefing was given on the ITZs feasibility reports conducted by the Malaysian firm under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development (KITE) being executed by the World Bank.

The Malaysian firm also briefed the investors on ITZs investment opportunities in Thandiani in Abbottabad, Ganol in Mansehra, Mankial in Swat, Water Sports Theme Park in Hund, Swabi, Madaklasht in Chitral and others.