Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country increased by 9.3 percent in the last ten months, while the highest inflow was recorded from Switzerland.
The country received 760.40 million dollars as FDIs compared to 695.90 million dollars (from July 2003 to April 2004) in the same period last year.
The highest amount, of 201.9 million dollars, came from Switzerland which included the amount remitted for the payment regarding the privatisation of Habib Bank. HBL's 51 percent shares have been sold out to Aga Khan Fund, which had to pay initially 25 percent amount as first instalment.
Second highest inflow of 191.7 million dollars came from United States, which have been major investors in the oil and gas exploration in Pakistan. The United Kingdom is one of the main investors in the oil and gas sector and it invested 84 million dollars in ten months.
Norway was another major investor, which invested 72.8 million dollars. This investment included payment regarding the licence of cellular phone, which Nortel Limited of Norway got last month.
The inflow of FDI in terms percentage was 26.6 percent from Switzerland, 25.2 percent from USA, 11 percent from UK, 10.1 percent from UAE and 9.6 percent from Norway.
Another company, which got second licence for cellular phone, Warid, has yet not made payment. Its payment would increase the FDI from UAE.
Communication sector was one of the major sectors which attracted over 105 million dollars during the said period.
The highest investment came in the Financial and Business sector, which attracted 238.3 million dollars in the ten months.
Second biggest attractive sector was of oil and gas, which received 168.8 million dollars. It was a 22.2 percent increased compared to the same period last year.