HAFEEZ URGES FOR KOREAN PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT

Islamabad, September 21, 2005

There is a need to promote Korean private sector investment in Pakistan through more interaction between the business communities of the Republic of Korea and Pakistan. Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh Federal Minister for Privatisation & Investment stated this during a meeting with the Ambassador of Korea Mr. Kim Jooseok who called on the Minister here today.

Dr. Hafeez Shaikh said that Pakistan provided a conducive investment environment in all the sectors without any discrimination between local and foreign investors by providing equal opportunities. He hoped that the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to Korea would provide an opportunity to Korean business groups and investor to take advantage of Pakistan's incentives extended through liberal investment, privatisation and economic policies.

The Korean envoy Mr. Kim Jooseok said that Pakistan economy was best performing in the region and Korean investors were keen to participate in the privatisation and investment opportunities in Pakistan particularly in the agriculture sector. Both the countries also needed to share each other's experiences at government level in various fields, he added. Mr. Sungsoo KIM Chief of ECO & Development of Korean embassy also accompanied the envoy.