LCCI President Mian Misbah-ur-Rehman has said the investment climate in Pakistan is very conducive and British Pakistanis should avail the opportunities to reap the benefits being offered by the present government.
He expressed these views while addressing a 26-member strong UK trade delegation headed by Mohammad Arshad Chaudhry.
The LCCI chief said the constant business contacts are key to success, and hoped that this visit would produce desired results.
Misbah-ur-Rehman said the Pak current level of trade ties also make a strong case to expand economic co-operation, adding there has been progressively increased in the volume of trade.
He said Pakistan is now on the road of political and economic stability. It needs the positive response of the foreign investment to prove its worth as an attractive investment destination. The development of Gwadar port city and industrial estates all over the country provide the best possible infrastructure facilities to the investors.
Pakistan's exports to United Kingdom jumped from $ 580 million in 1999-2000 to $ 941 million in 2003-04, while Pakistan's imports from United Kingdom also jumped from $ 356 million in 1999-2000 to $ 439 million in 2003-04. Likewise the volume of trade improved from $ 934 million to $ 1,379 million during the same period.
The LCCI chief said that Lahore, long regarded as a cultural capital of Pakistan is now demonstrating its economic dynamism. The development of the Sundar Industrial Estate, an international airport and road-cum-rail linkages to Indian Punjab are the advantages and no investor can afford to ignore it. Its central place in the agricultural and industrial map of Punjab makes it a viable place to invest, he added.
Earlier, addressing the participants, UK Trade Delegation chief Mohammad Arshad Chaudhry proposed making Leeds and Lahore twin cities, adding that Leeds is business hub of UK and Lahore is fast gaining the status of an industrial city.
Arshad Chaudhry said UK Pakistanis are visiting Pakistan to make investment, adding they had signed a number of MoUs in Karachi, and hoped that more business contracts would be inked in Lahore.
Speaking on the occasion, LCCI Vice President Sheikh Mohammad Arshad lauded the role of British Pakistanis, saying there is a lot of investment opportunities in Pakistan and the Pakistanis all over the world should take advantage of the situation.
Textile yarn and fabrics, article of Apparel & cloth access, fish and fish prep, sports goods, rice, cane molasses, footwear, vegetable and fruits, leather & leather items and other cotton waste are major items of export to United Kingdom, he added.
While special mach. for particular ind, metalliferous ores/metal scrap, organic chemical, power generation machinery, pharmaceutical products, chemical material & products, gen, ind. machinery & equipment, iron and steel, telecommunication appl/eqpt, office mach, auto data processor, transport equipment, professional instruments, non ferrous metals, dyeing tanning material, plastic in primary form, perfume materials, paper, paperboard and article, electrical mach/app/eqpt/parts, manufacturers of metals, inorganic chemical, fertiliser manufactured and cotton NS.
Comments
Comments are closed.