Pakistan has made "major inroad" into the countries of South East Asian region for economic co-operation, during the nine-day visit of Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali to Laos, China, Cambodia and Thailand, informed sources said here on Saturday.
They said Mr Jamali's tour of South East Asian countries from April 21-30, 2004 is "a major step" towards the realisation of Pakistan's Vision East Asia.
It envisages building strong co-operative ties with South East Asia states and Asean countries - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, while being closely associated with important regional processes in broader Asia-Pacific region.
Prime Minister Jamali's visit immensely contributed towards strengthening of co-operative links with this extremely important region, and Pakistan is hopeful to get membership of the prestigious Asian Regional Forum (ARF) (a grouping of 23 nations) at its meeting in Indonesia in June next.
The relevant ministries in Islamabad would now work out plans to take benefits from the visit of Mr Jamali. "Our thrust is economic and its benefits would also be political," sources said.
The sources said that Sultan of Brunei would pay a state visit to Pakistan this month, while Prime Minister of Singapore to visit Pakistan in June next.
The Presidents of Indonesia and Vietnam have paid state visits to Pakistan recently during which they had detailed discussions with President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Jamali.
President Musharraf visited Thailand in year 2000, while the Thai premier undertook visit to Pakistan in 2002.
POLITICAL STABILITY: Mr Jamali and Federal Minister for Information Shaikh Rashid Ahmed, Minister for Privatisation & Investment Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Petroleum & Natural Resources Minister Nouraiz Shakoor, who accompanied the prime minister on the tour, in talks with their counterparts spoke about political stability in Pakistan and continuation of economic and financial reforms.
They highlighted liberal investment regime in Pakistan and attracting international capital to flow into the country.
They briefed on the recent successful privatisation of Habib Bank, Telecom and award of cellular phone licences, and felt the momentum these have generated has to be built upon. It was a major breakthrough in terms of private sector financing of Pakistan's economic development.
Prime Minister Jamali addressed Business & Investment Conference focusing on making investment in Pakistan on April 26 in Hong Kong, attended by prominent businessmen and investors from China, Pakistan, some from South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia, besides, representatives of international fund managers. The Privatisation Ministry would hold another such conference in London on May 12, 2004.
The sectors available for foreign investment in Pakistan include oil, gas, telecom, food processing, electronics, infrastructure, construction material, textile, banking and commercial services and IT.
Comments
Comments are closed.