President for speeding up work on Yamaha plant

Venture will ease pressure on public transport.

ISLAMABAD:

President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday directed the authorities to accelerate work on setting up a motorcycle manufacturing plant to ease pressure on public transport and provide low-income groups with an economical and affordable means of transport.

This he said during a meeting at the President’s House to review progress on establishing a motorcycle plant in Karachi by Japanese manufacturer Yamaha.

Briefing the media, President’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar said during the president’s visit to Japan and his meeting with investors and manufacturers there, Yamaha had shown interest in setting up a motorcycle manufacturing plant in Pakistan. He said Yamaha teams had already visited Pakistan to firm up plans and proposals for producing motorcycles in Karachi.

In the meeting, Zardari called for encouraging foreign investment and extending all possible facilities to foreign investors to take advantage of investment opportunities in the country.

He said motorbike was an economical means of transport for low-income people and directed that all hurdles in the way of Yamaha investment and setting up its manufacturing plant should be removed on priority basis and the process should be stepped up.

He said the government was working hard to transform the country into one of the most attractive and business-friendly places in the region, adding the government would simplify procedures to facilitate investors and businessmen.



Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2011.