Govt introduces lucrative incentives to attract foreign investment;Minister

RAWALPINDI, Apr 18 (APP):The Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) organized Pak-Uzbek networking session at a local hotel here on Wednesday.
Addressing the networking session as chief guest, Minister of state for Finance Rana Afzal said Pakistan offers promising investment opportunities and government has introduced lucrative incentive to
attract foreign investors.
Halal food, tourism, leather, Textile and pharmaceutical are the key areas where investors can make joint ventures,he said.
The Minister said that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) now offering vast range of rail and road network to connect Pakistan with central Asian republics and there is a need to strengthen trade ties between the two countries.
He lauded RCCI efforts for promoting trade activities in the country and the region through
exhibitions and business opportunity conferences. He said chambers are playing vital role in promoting trade activities in the country.
Rana said servicing sector is growing and investors can take benefit of Pakistani skilled labor in services sector including banking, insurance and leasing.
He said that energy shortage has been overcome and gradually we are lowering the per unit price of electricity to attract local and foreign investors.
Addressing the session Khodjaev Jamshid Minister of Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan thanked RCCI for inviting for the session and urged Pakistani investors to opt joint ventures with Uzbek.
He said the trade volume between the two countries is very low
and there is need to increase the trade ties in different sector including
Pharmaceutical, Agriculture, leather and textile.
Adham Ikramov Chairman of CCI of Uzbekistan who signed Memorandum of understanding with RCCI said that
the major aim of this MOU was to promote trade ties through exchange of trade
delegates and exhibitions on reciprocal basis.
Earlier RCCI Chief Zahid Latif Khan in his address said Central
Asia is a big market and Pakistan should explore new trade avenues in this
region. It is the hour of need to explore the new trade avenues, business
opportunities between Pakistan and Central Asia.
CPEC offers great regional connectivity and integration from South Asia, Central Asian countries
and beyond,” he added.