Photo courtesy PID
The 8th meeting of the Apex Committee of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) on Wednesday appreciated the boost in economic ties between Pakistan and friendly nations, including the finalization of bilateral investment agreements with Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the civil-military body also appreciated the inking of Memorandums of Understanding and framework agreements with the U.A.E. and Kuwait and instructed authorities concerned to expedite their conversion into economic reality.
Chaired by interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, the meeting was also attended by Army chief Gen. Asim Munir, members of the federal cabinet, provincial chief ministers and various government officials. During the meeting, various federal ministries briefed the participants on progress of projects in key sectors and the timely completion of expected investments. The Apex Committee, read the statement, expressed satisfaction on the overall progress achieved under the SIFC in various sectors.
Reviewing the progress on privatization, the Apex Committee appreciated the cooperation of various stakeholders in timely completion of various important targets and gave directions to maintain momentum. It also reviewed the progress on various measures taken to improve the investment climate and approved various policies to improve investor convenience, including strengthening the domestic dispute resolution mechanism.
Agreeing to speed-up infrastructure development to facilitate investors, especially in remote areas, the committee appreciated the ongoing inclusive approach to human resource development to meet emerging needs in key sectors of the economy. It also vowed to continue ongoing action against traffickers and hoarders.
During the meeting, the Army chief assured the military’s unwavering commitment to support the government’s initiatives for economic recovery of the country. The prime minister, meanwhile, directed all the stakeholders to pursue all SIFC initiatives to ensure their completion within the stipulated period.