ISLAMABAD, Jul 28 (APP):Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan on Tuesday, said the government was pursuing a comprehensive industrial policy aimed at enhancing industrial competitiveness, promoting export-led growth and attracting investment from China, Türkiye and the Central Asian Republics (CARs). He was addressing a press conference at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) regarding the Chamber's Business Opportunity Conference and …
Govt prioritizes industrial competitiveness, unveils reforms to boost exports ,attract investment
ISLAMABAD, Jul 28 (APP):Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan on Tuesday, said the government was pursuing a comprehensive industrial policy aimed at enhancing industrial competitiveness, promoting export-led growth and attracting investment from China, Türkiye and the Central Asian Republics (CARs).
He was addressing a press conference at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) regarding the Chamber’s Business Opportunity Conference and Excellence Awards, scheduled to be held in Istanbul on August 13.
Haroon Akhtar said the government was committed to creating a business-friendly environment through reforms focused on improving the ease of doing business, simplifying regulations, rationalizing tariffs and strengthening industrial competitiveness.
He said these measures would help transform Pakistan into a competitive manufacturing and export hub while encouraging greater foreign investment.
He noted that Pakistan has entered a new phase of political and macroeconomic stability, resulting in increased international confidence in the country’s economy. He emphasized that the private sector would remain the driving force behind sustainable economic growth and industrial development.
The SAPM said the government was finalizing a comprehensive industrial policy to attract Chinese investors and other regional partners, particularly the Central Asian Republics, to enhance market competitiveness and expand industrial cooperation.
Highlighting key policy initiatives, he said the government was introducing progressive industrial, automobile and electric vehicle policies while creating investment opportunities in renewable energy, battery manufacturing, electronics and pharmaceuticals.
He added that special attention was being given to supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and exporters through easier access to finance, export refinancing facilities, long-term financing schemes and targeted tax incentives.
Haroon Akhtar described ICCI’s Business Opportunity Conference in Istanbul as a timely initiative that complements the vision of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to increase bilateral trade between Pakistan and Türkiye to US$ 5 billion.
He said Türkiye was Pakistan’s second home and stressed that the strong political and brotherly relations between the two countries should now be translated into stronger economic partnerships through investment, joint ventures, technology transfer and enhanced business-to-business (B2B) collaboration.
He also announced that he would lead the Pakistani business delegation to Türkiye and facilitate productive engagements with Turkish investors and entrepreneurs.
Speaking on the occasion, ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood thanked the SAPM for supporting the Chamber’s international outreach initiatives.
He said the Istanbul conference was aimed to showcase Pakistan’s economic potential, facilitate high-level B2B meetings, attract investment, promote joint ventures, encourage technology transfer and generate new export opportunities in sectors including real estate, construction, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, information technology, agriculture, food processing, textiles, tourism, engineering and logistics.
He said ICCI remained committed to projecting Pakistan as a peaceful, reliable and investment-friendly destination while strengthening economic diplomacy through private-sector engagement.
He expressed confidence that the conference would contribute significantly towards achieving the shared Pakistan-Türkiye target of increasing bilateral trade to US$5 billion.
Commercial Counsellor at the Embassy of Türkiye in Islamabad, Enes Malik Cetin, appreciated ICCI’s initiative and expressed confidence that the visit and B2B matchmaking sessions would further strengthen bilateral trade and investment relations between the two countries.
Among those present were ICCI Founder Group Chairman Sheikh Tariq Sadiq, Senior Vice President Tahir Ayub, Vice President Irfan Chaudhry, former presidents Zubair Ahmed Malik, Mohammad Ejaz Abbasi, Khalid Javaid and Sheikh Aamir Waheed, along with executive members, trade leaders and representatives from various business sectors of the capital.
