Talk with US-Pakistan Business Council delegation: Attracting US investment top priority: PM

NEW YORK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has emphasized deepening Pakistan-US trade and investment ties. He was talking to a delegation of the US-Pakistan Business Council, on the sidelines of 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The delegation comprised of President and other senior officials of the US-Pakistan Business Council and corporate leaders from the leading US enterprises.

The Prime Minister said attracting the US foreign investments in all sectors of Pakistan’s economy is the government’s priority.

PM attends session of UNGA

He said the government is focused on further improving ease of doing business in Pakistan and in that regard accorded high priority to receiving suggestions from the corporate circles.

Introducing the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to the participants, the Prime Minister said SIFC is aimed at bolstering investor confidence and expediting project implementation through customized solutions and demand-driven facilitation.

He underscored that SIFC is a high-level, one-window agency empowered to facilitate foreign investors in planning and implementing their ventures in four key areas: agriculture, IT, energy, and mining.

Shehbaz Sharif identified various areas in Pakistan’s economy, particularly agriculture, tech sector including fintech, pharmaceutical, oil and gas and mining, where the US companies could benefit from the Government’s policies and undertake projects for mutual benefit.

In her remarks, President US-Pakistan Business Council Esperanza Jelalian shared that Pakistan is a favoured destination of the US investments and holds considerable promise.

She said that a delegation of the Council, being planned this year, would explore further opportunities for investment in Pakistan.

The remarks were followed by an interactive discussion with representatives of the US enterprises, where the Prime Minister responded to various queries.