Pakistan needs foreign investment: Shahbaz

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that the Punjab government has provided an environment conducive to investment in the province and maximum facilities are being offered to investors. He was talking to a delegation of a leading industrial group of Europe Thyssen Bornemisza, headed by Chairman Augustus Ltd. Baron Lorne, here on Tuesday, disclosed an official.
Chairman Chief Minister's Special Initiatives Entity Haroon Khawaja, Vice Chairman Punjab Investment Board, Secretaries of Agriculture, Livestock and Industries were also present on the occasion. The Chief Minister said Pakistan is in dire need of foreign investment for progress and development, and all out encouragement will be extended to investors in the province. He also said there are vast opportunities of investment in various sectors in Punjab. "Public-private partnership is being promoted for investment, while speedy and transparent completion of all projects is being ensured. Joint ventures can be launched for development of agriculture and livestock sectors and the group will be provided all out facilities for this purpose," he added.
Meanwhile, a delegation of students of Harvard Kennedy School USA met the Chief Minister who appraised the delegation of the overall situation in the country, war against terrorism and measures taken for good governance and uplift of education, health and other sectors in the province.
The Chief Minister said Pakistan is facing the menace of terrorism, which is leaving a negative impact on economy. He also said the goal of progress and prosperity cannot be achieved without eliminating terrorism from the country. "The whole nation is united in the war against terrorism and Pak Army, police and the people are rewriting history with their sacrifices. Provision of economic and social justice, equitable distribution of resources as well as education, health and other facilities are essential for rooting out terrorism from the society," he added.
According to him, the Punjab government is attaching top priority to the development of education sector and a number of revolutionary measures are being taken for this purpose. In addition to setting up of IT Labs in more than 4000 schools of the province, Daanish schools equipped with modern facilities are also being set up in the backward areas and the standard of these schools will be even higher than that of prestigious educational institutions of the country. Free boarding and lodging facilities will be available to the students in Daanish schools.
He said 60 percent population of Pakistan comprise youth and by imparting them vocational training they can not only be made useful citizens of the society but foreign exchange can also be earned by sending them abroad. "Special attention is being paid to the promotion of vocational education in the province and a skilled workforce is being prepared in accordance with the market needs. Also, solid measures are being taken for the promotion of economic activities, elimination of unemployment and provision of medical facilities to the masses, while good governance has also been promoted in the province," he added.
In reply to a question about democratic system in the country, the Chief Minister said the confidence of people in democracy will be restored only when problems of people are resolved, maladministration and corruption is eliminated and a strict and transparent system of accountability is adopted.