|
|
|
|
|
A 12 member Pakistan-Britain Trade & Investment forum British delegation
currently on a visit to Pakistan led by its Chairman Sir Tom Harris, who is
also Vice Chairman of the Standard chartered Bank held a meeting with Syed
Naveed Qamar Federal Minister for Privatisation here today.
Syed Naveed Qamar gave an overview of the efforts of the government being made
to facilitate the investors for participating in the privatisation and
investment activity and said that Pakistan provided level playing field to
local and foreign investors for investment in all sectors with attractive
incentives allowing 100 % foreign equity and remittance of capital, profits,
royalty, technical and franchise fee and zero rated import of raw material for
export manufacturing.
The Minister informed the delegation that Pakistan has moved from the 100 %
strategic sale to 26 % shares sale with management control to the private
sector through Public Private Partnership. The first entity offered under this
arrangement is Jamshoro Power Company Limited (JPCL) while Power Distribution
Companies and Utility Store Corporation (USC) will follow. PPP for USC was
being focused to bring strategic partner from the private sector without
disturbing subsidies support for the low-income groups and to further expand
the network, he added.
He further briefed the delegates that Financial services and Pakistan Post was
another area to extend banking facilities in remote regions of the country,
which were not covered by this facility. Pakistan provided enormous
opportunities with large potential for the foreign and local private sector in
almost all areas with complete autonomy, he stated.
The Minister further stated that United Kingdom was a most significant
contributor to Pakistan’s economy and there was a need to further deepen the
economic relationship between private sectors of both the countries.
While making a detailed presentation regarding investment and privatisation
opportunities in Pakistan to the delegates of Pakistan-Britain Trade &
Investment Forum, the Minister stated that all economic sectors in the country
were open for FDI.
He further stated that the liberal and most transparent economic, trade,
investment, privatisation and other policies had generated the interest and
have boosted the confidence of the investors.
100 British companies were operating in various sectors of Pakistan’s economy
and it was encouraging to note that they had indicated to further expand their
operations to strengthen the existing economic, investment and trade relations
of both the countries, he said.
The Minister lauded the interest of UK investors in the economic activity of
Pakistan while terming it encouraging and assured the visiting guests that
Pakistan was in the process of further improving its competitiveness and
facilitation arrangements for the foreign investors.
The leader of the delegation and Chairman Pakistan-Britain Trade & Investment
forum Sir Tom Harris said that in future a number of British business and
trade delegations were being scheduled for Pakistan to benefit from the
attractive investment opportunities in financial, healthcare, oil & gas,
power, insurance, education and other sectors as the visit was focused to seek
expansion of trade relations with Pakistan and to explore new avenues and
opportunities for investment in the country. He offered to organize
conferences at UK for interaction with the British investors and Business
Groups, which he hoped would also attract British Pakistanis to participate in
Pakistan’s Privatisation Program. Mr. Wajid Shamsul Hasan High Commissioner of
Pakistan to UK also accompanied the delegation.
The forum was established in 2003 in UK with select businessmen having large
business and investment interest in Pakistan having members of mainly high
worth British companies like Standard Chartered Bank, HSBC, Shell, GSK
SmithKline, International Power etc.