PM Khan urges Turkish businesses to invest in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that Pakistan had a range of investment opportunities which could immensely favour Turkish businesses, ARY News reported on Thursday. 

While addressing the business community in Ankara, the prime minister said that his government was entirely focused on creating a conducive environment for foreign investors and steps were being taken to make doing business in Pakistan easier for foreign entities.

Highlighting some of his government’s projects, he said that the government was working on establishing special economic zones with the help of the Chinese.

Moreover, Pakistan has lots of tourist attractions including several of the world’s tallest mountains, he said.

“We are further working to boost tourism, religious and casual alike, in the country”, he said.

The prime minister said that 120 million — almost half of Pakistan’s population — was young, which was a potential ready to be tapped.

“Apart from this, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will give rise to economic and trade activities in Pakistan”, he said, adding that there was a need to widen the trade between Turkey and Pakistan.

Earlier on Thursday, he arrived in Turkey on a two-day official visit on the invitation of the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

PM Imran received a warm welcome by Turkish Minister for Trade Ms Ruhsar Pekjan, Konya Governor Cuneyit Orhan Toprak and Deputy Mayor Mithat at the airport. It is the first visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to brotherly nation Turkey after assuming office.

PM Khan also held a meeting and exchanged views on bilateral issues with Ms Ruhsar Pekjan. Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Minister for Finance Asad Umar, Minister for Planning Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar and others also accompanied the prime minister during the visit.

The visit will help explore new avenues of cooperation and collaboration between the two countries, particularly in the areas of economic, trade and commercial relations.

During the visit, he will meet the Turkish president to discuss the entire spectrum of bilateral relations as well as regional and international situation.

The prime minister will also address a business forum and hold several meetings with Turkish businesspeople and potential investors during his stay in Ankara.

The prime minister also visited the mausoleum of renowned Sufi Muslim scholar Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi in Konya and offered Fateha.

Pakistan and Turkey enjoy historical and unparalleled ties based on a shared religious and cultural legacy that dates back to centuries.

The two countries have excellent political, economic, defence, cultural and people-to-people relations that continue to grow from strength to strength each year.

The premier’s visit will further reinforce the historical ties between the governments and the people of the two brotherly countries.