Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said the government had put the country on the path of prosperity and development by adopting business-friendly policies and hard work. When the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government, he said, took office in 2013, the country was faced with problems, including terrorism, economic decline and energy shortage. The government, however, took it as a challenge and worked tirelessly to overcome the problems, the prime minister said while talking to leading businessmen here at Governor House.
He said law and order in Karachi had significantly improved and business activities returned to normal. He appreciated the role of law enforcement agencies in maintaining the law and order situation in the port city. The prime minister said economic progress of Pakistan had been acknowledged by international financial rating agencies. "Pakistan is now termed an attractive destination for business and investment," he added.
As a result of investor-friendly policies of the present government and the economic turnaround achieved in the last four years, various reputable international investors and companies had shown keen interest in exploring business and investment opportunities in Pakistan, he added. The prime minister said Pakistan had now achieved macro-economic stability and was focusing on achieving higher, sustainable and inclusive growth. Gross domestic product was recorded at 4.7 per cent in the financial year 2016, which was an eight-year high, he remarked.
He said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with its wide portfolio of projects in energy, road networks, railways and many other sectors offered huge opportunities of investment and employment. The government, he said, was also improving energy mix to ensure availability of clean and affordable energy to the masses. While referring to investment policies, the prime minister said Pakistan had improved its ranking by four points on the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Index.
"We have identified potential sites along CPEC routes for establishment of Special Economic Zones that would offer tremendous business opportunities," the prime minister added. Nawaz Sharif stated that the government had introduced new Automotive Development Policy that focused on enhancing competitiveness and provision of quality products. The meeting was also attended by Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair and Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Chairman Board of Investment Mifta Ismail, parliamentarians and senior officials.