Chinese group eyes $3b deals in Pakistan roads, energy sector

Consortium to explore possibility of launching airline, says premier

ISLAMABAD: A consortium of Chinese companies is planning to bring a $3 billion investment fund to Pakistan, representatives of these companies told Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during their meeting here on Friday.

Highlighting the huge potential for Chinese investment, the prime minister said that Chinese firms could invest in Pakistan’s infrastructure development, energy and communication sectors.



Appreciating the prime minister’s vision of economic revival, members of the Chinese delegation said they were planning to invest in infrastructure development and energy sectors.

They also expressed their intent to explore the possibility of launching a new airline after securing requisite government permissions.

Currently, the Chinese consortium “is actively pursuing investments in infrastructure, power, aviation and tourism sectors in Pakistan”.

Pakistan, he said, was now among this year’s global top 10 improvers in Doing Business in 2017. He said that Pakistan’s investment policy was designed to provide a comprehensive framework for creating a conducive business environment for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI).

The law of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) was made to meet global challenges of competitiveness and help attract FDI.

Expressing satisfaction, the prime minister said that Standard & Poor’s (S&P) had also upgraded Pakistan’s ranking from B- to B.

He said that Pakistan’s foreign reserves had now increased to over $24 billion.



“We fully appreciate the vision of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif which enunciates that economic prosperity is an offshoot of infrastructure connectivity and self-sufficiency in the energy sector,” members of the delegation stated.

The Chinese delegates said that the government had done immense work in infrastructure development and attaining energy self-sufficiency.

The government has a liberal investment regime that offers an ideal and investor-friendly environment for which the leadership role of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is highly appreciated, they said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2016.