The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Sunday said businesspersons investing billions of rupees in Pakistan despite skyrocketing uncertainty should not be harassed. Deteriorating business and investment climate should not be compromised over political issues.
'The Government should take notice of illegal steps and irresponsible statements against the owner of the first mix-use complex in Pakistan,' The President, PEW, Dr Murtaza Mughal said in a statement issued on Sunday.
He said overseas Pakistanis and companies of friendly countries like China and Saudi Arabia have direct business interests in the Centaurus. So far, an amount of Rs17 billion has been spent on the project.
Now police, CDA and some top officials are threatening the owner to raze the project, which is illegal, immoral, and violation of the Constitution. It is also the violation of the manifesto of the ruling party, he added.
Threats by top investment officials will shatter the remaining confidence of business community and investors, he said adding that the development is set to frustrate friendly countries.
Further, the only crime committed by the owner of multi-billion-rupees project is to take part in politics from a platform that is presently not favoured by the ruling alliance, he added.
PEW President said that Centaurus is not the only case; recently a banker was teased to such an extent that he fled from country, cancelled his investment plans and shifted capital earmarked for investment in Pakistan to another country. Furthermore, the government should work to provide cordial and enabling environment to investors, he suggested.