Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Monday said with the growing economy and increased trade and investment activities, Pakistan requires a strong and world-class infrastructure in services sector including the hotels.
He was speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of a 45-storey `Grand Hayatt'' five-star hotel being constructed near the Convention Centre in federal capital with an investment of US $260 million.
The Prime Minister termed the hotel project ''very important and historic development'' for Islamabad, which surrounded by beautiful mountains with lush green landscapes and good climatic conditions, has many reasons to become the hub of tourism and international conventions and conferences in the region.
He said, Pakistan being at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East, having six out of world''s 12 peaks, rich culture and the growing economy offers lot of attractions for tourists as well as for investors.
The Prime Minister said, to become a true hub of international conferences and conventions there must be all world class facilities of a modern city.
He said, with several technical companies and IT parks operating in the federal capital, Islamabad is fast becoming an IT capital.
Prime Minister said, Islamabad will soon have an international standard airport, having connectivity with the Motorway, adding, we will allow operation to more airlines.
He said, the services sector has the largest potential of job opportunities and mentioned that the new hotel-to be opened by the end of 2009, will provide jobs to 2600 people directly, with several people getting indirect jobs as a fall-out of the project through supply, shops, allied businesses etc. The Prime Minister said, "We need several international hotels not only in Islamabad but in other major cities and metropolitans."