ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the country is heading towards economic stability but more and more investment is required to maintain the upward momentum.

The prime minister was presiding over a meeting here on Thursday to remove hurdles in the way of business and investment.

“As the country at the moment is moving towards economic stability, investment is the most important factor in sustaining this stability and achieving rapid economic growth,” the prime minister said.

He highlighted the importance of investment in achieving rapid and sustainable economic growth and development in the country and called for ensuring ease of doing business for investors.

Beverage firm team briefs prime minister about company’s new plant in KP

The prime minister directed all federal ministries and provincial governments to take measures for promotion of investment to ensure timely realisation of set targets in this regard.

The secretary of Board of Investment briefed the meeting on the measures taken by the government to remove hurdles in the way of trade and investment.

The meeting was told that the measures included amendments to laws, ease in tax collection system, making system of getting no-objection certificates from other departments easy and changes in unnecessary and old procedures.

National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf, prime minister’s special assistant Shehbaz Gill, secretaries of the relevant ministries, chairman of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) and senior officers were present in the meeting. The meeting was also attended by the chief secretaries of four provinces through video link.

In a separate meeting with a delegation of Coca-Cola Icecek, the prime minister said that golden investment opportunities were waiting for foreign investors in Pakistan as the government’s pro-investor policies had led to the revival of investors’ confidence.

The prime minister said that enhanced investment in multiple sectors had led to creation of job opportunities and economic development in the country.

The prime minister was informed during the meeting that Coca-Cola was soon going to start its new beverage plant in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Minister for Industries Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, PM’s adviser Abdul Razak Dawood and Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul attended the meeting. The general manager of Coca-Cola Icecek Pakistan and the company’s director and manager corporate affairs also attended the meeting.

The delegation informed the prime minister that work on the company’s new beverage plant in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would start soon to generate numerous jobs, revenue and opportunities for allied industries.

The delegation also presented to the prime minister a report on the socio-economic impact by the company’s investment in Pakistan.

They thanked the prime minister for the facilitation extended by the government to the company in its investment ventures.

The prime minister welcomed the investment made by the company in Pakistan, particularly its future plans of investment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2021