No restriction on equity limit, repatriation of money: Hafeez

07 Jul, 2004

Minister for Privatisation and Investment, Dr Hafeez Shaikh said that all the sector of the country were open for foreign and domestic investors with attractive incentives.
"There is no restriction on equity limit or repatriation of the money in any sector as the private sector is the engine of economic growth", Hafeez stated during a meeting with Ms Lisa Chiles Mission Director United States Agency for International Development (USAID) who called on him here on Tuesday.
The minister said that there was a need to upgrade domestic industries in order to compete in the global markets through better strategy for achieving the target of higher growth. Pakistan-USA Business and Trade relations were growing gradually which would provide an opportunity to the business groups of both the countries to exchanges their experiences in the related fields, he hoped.
He further said that the government's economic policy and the reform process were focused to give efficient and quality services to the consumers and to benefit the people through the transfer of technologies by encouraging the private investors.
Dr Hafeez also appreciated the efforts of USAID to encourage various industrial sectors to develop growth strategies.
Earlier, Ms Lisa Chiles briefed the minister regarding USAID and Smeda's joint initiative launched in the agribusiness, fisheries, light engineering (Electric Fans), leather, gems and jewellery, surgical equipment, sporting goods, IT and marble and granite in the mining sectors. Sectoral working groups had begun to develop strategies to improve value-added production and increased profitability firms, which was being noticed with positive response, she added.
USAID Mission head, who was accompanied by Peter Duffy Economic Growth Advisor, remained with the minister for some time and discussed other matters relating to the economic development and the progress of the private sector.

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