ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar on Saturday assured the government’s full support to facilitate investments by British companies in Pakistan, and said new companies would be welcome.
In a meeting with the British High Commissioner Thomas Drew in Islamabad on Saturday, the minister said that there was interest from across the world to expand business and trade relations with Pakistan.
During the meeting, the High Commissioner briefed the finance minister about the recent visit of the British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson to Pakistan. He informed the minister that the British foreign secretary had a very successful and productive visit and carried positive sentiments for Pakistan’s economic growth and development.
The High Commissioner also apprised the minister of the foreign secretary’s meeting with CEOs of British companies operating in Pakistan in which the companies expressed interest to bring more investments to Pakistan.
The finance minister expressed appreciation for the foreign secretary’s visit to Pakistan and for his encouraging words regarding Pakistan’s economic progress and future potential of Pakistan-United Kingdom trade ties.
Ishaq Dar said that Renault from France recently announced that they would start manufacturing automobiles in Pakistan.
The British high commissioner said that British companies were successfully operating in Pakistan and they provided a positive stimulus for fresh British investment in Pakistan.
Thomas Drew said that United Kingdom had a strong relationship with Pakistan across a broad spectrum of areas and the scale of engagement could be further enhanced with furthering British trade and investment to Pakistan.
The finance minister said that Pakistan valued its long standing ties with the UK and hoped to strengthen bilateral relations further.
Senator Ishaq Dar welcomed the proposal of the British high commissioner to enhance trade and investment with Pakistan and assured him of all support and assistance.
The Chairman Federal Bureaus of Revenue (FBR) and Secretary Economic Affairs Division also attended this meeting.
