Lasbela Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Maqsood Ismail has proposed that an international investment conference should also be held in Balochistan. Welcoming the investment conference in Islamabad and Lahore, he said that such events were always helpful in fetching foreign investment and should also be held frequently in all provincial capitals of the country.
"Such conferences are productive and meaningful, as foreign investment plays a critical role in the economic uplift of any country and for Pakistan such events are particularly important as the country is in the phase of improving its image abroad," Ismail added.
He said that Balochistan was the most neglected province of the country by all means but very attractive for foreign investors in fields like mining, natural resources, agriculture and infrastructure. He urged upon the government to take every possible step towards encouraging foreign direct investment in Balochistan. He also called for adopting a proactive approach and practical steps to remove obstacles in the way of FDI in Pakistan.
"Pakistan ranks 62nd in the FDI-friendly countries, which does not reflect its true potential and available resources," he said, adding that there was a dire need to promote economic vitality by strengthening the private sector. He asked the government to ensure that all institutions are not immune to any sort of undue interference, which would help improve the quality of governance without which foreign investment could not be attracted.