‘SIFC should push for Safe Cities for FDI success in country’

ISLAMABAD: Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) should push for Safe Cities for FDI success in the country. This was stated by Noman Said, renowned international safe cities consultant.

Said has stressed that now is the time for Pakistan to get the safe cities right at the planning stage; as 18 projects are underway or being planned in Punjab alone; and, Karachi Safe City mega project has also been initiated.

Noman Said added that based on his experience, in order to safeguard public funds, safe cities should be planned in a way that they can be integrated to other safe cities at any later stage - be it on a divisional, regional , provincial or national level.

Noman Said highlighted the importance of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) by terming it a game-changer initiative; however, he maintained that providing impeccable law & order environs is of indispensable nature for the FDI to come. The first thing that flies is capital when there is a precarious security situation for the businessmen, he added.

Noman Said explained that the genesis of a safe city lies in its foundational design — a meticulously engineered platform that champions scalability and adaptability. This robust base ensures that the safety mechanisms put in place are not just confined to a single urban area but can be expanded seamlessly to encompass entire regions, eventually culminating in a national Integrated Command and Control Center (IC3).

Noman Said highlighted the potential transformative impact of the safe city projects on the country’s business landscape; drawing parallels with China, Singapore and UAE’s success. He stressed that improved surveillance and law enforcement capabilities are expected to reduce the current unacceptable crime rates and create a safer environment for businesses and investors.

Given that SIFC can provide guarantees of safe and smarter cities, the private-sector has the potential to bring FDI in huge numbers through trade promotion and bringing international events to Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024