President Mamnoon Hussain said that Pakistan has enacted noteworthy legislation to facilitate domestic and International business as a result of which Pakistan has become the most attractive country for investment in the region. He stated that Pakistan’s exports are also gradually growing due to these steps. Likewise, GDP growth rate reached 5.3% which is the highest in last 10 years. These indicators reveal that propitious changes have been introduced, he added. The President said this while addressing the gathering during a dinner in Honour of Ambassadors & Foreign Diplomats organised by Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) in Islamabad on Monday. Members of Diplomatic community and members of RCCI were present on the occasion. The President emphasized that secrets behind our success are comprehensive strategies and persistent counter terrorism policies. He pointed out that during the past several years, Pakistan has suffered enormous losses of life and property due to bloodshed and war like situation in the region. He underscored that the Government of Pakistan has worked diligently to improve the situation through robust diplomatic, political and administrative measures and its results are quite visible. He hoped that unrest will be completely eradicated in near future. The President underlined that strenuous efforts of past few years are now bearing fruits. He said that power shortage for the industrial sector has been completely eliminated and our factories are running at a satisfactory pace. He added that our exports witnessed an increase of more than 11% during the current fiscal year due to these measures and they are continuously following this upward trend. The President highlighted that Ministry of Commerce is working on Strategic Trade Policy Framework for the next five years which aims at the proficient introduction of Pakistani products, improving regional connectivity and providing an enabling and friendly business environment. He stated that incumbent Government has concluded several bilateral and multilateral trade agreements to secure better international market access for Pakistani products while several other agreements are under process which will further facilitate our exporters. These agreements led to the increase of bilateral trade with neighbouring countries. Moreover, better market access to European countries through GSP Plus status further enhanced business activities in the country, he added. The President said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has created many attractive opportunities apart from the existing ones. He stressed that this project will not only reduce distances among different countries of the region but it is also opening up invaluable avenues for the entire world. In order to benefit from these opportunities, we think that international community should consider investing in this corridor and related projects, he added. He expressed hope that keen interest of the international community in this mega project will not only lead to positive change in the business environment of this region but also the entire world. The President emphasized that these positive indicators point towards the bright economic future of Pakistan. He invited all countries to invest in various sectors including minerals, power, infrastructure, information technology, financial services, tourism, agriculture and mining. He hoped that diplomatic community based in Pakistan will also play their role in this regard. He stated that fervent participation of the diplomatic community in such events reflect their positive impression about us. It also highlights that countries of the world are desirous of increasing bilateral trade with Pakistan, he added. He further said that Pakistan will always welcome their interest and investment in the bilateral trade and joint ventures. *****
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