FAISALABAD/CHINIOT, Sep 08 :Federal Minister for the Investment Board, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, described the recent investment conference in China as one of the most successful events in Pakistan’s history.
Speaking to media in Chiniot, he revealed that the conference resulted in joint ventures worth $2 billion and the signing of MoUs valued at $7 billion. He noted that the event was attended by 300 Pakistani businessmen and 500 Chinese entrepreneurs and was conducted entirely on a business-to-business basis without any financial burden on the Government of Pakistan. The success was credited to the tireless efforts of the Board of Investment, the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), and relevant ministries under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal was also commended for his role in ensuring the conference’s achievements.
Highlighting Pakistan’s urgent need for foreign direct investment and advanced technology, Qaiser Sheikh called the conference a milestone for creating job opportunities and boosting trade and industry. He pointed out that the mineral resources sector attracted special attention from foreign investors and assured that the government would provide full support and security to investors across all sectors.
He further said that Chinese investors showed strong interest in long-term partnerships based on mutual friendship and trust. However, timely follow-up on these projects is essential to usher in a new era of industrial growth and employment in Pakistan.
Addressing recent flood devastation, the minister stressed the urgent need for long-term planning and permanent preventive measures against natural disasters. He underscored the importance of constructing the Chiniot Dam, which Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also highlighted in his speech. Qaiser Sheikh said he had personally raised this issue in the National Assembly and recently visited the district to assess the losses suffered by people in homes, crops, and livestock.
The minister pointed out that Pakistan’s population is rapidly increasing while resources remain stagnant. He called for renewed focus on dams, education, technology, and industrial development. Citing China’s success in lifting 700 million people out of poverty through investments in these sectors, he expressed hope that Pakistan could follow a similar model for prosperity.
Qaiser Sheikh urged setting aside political differences for collective national development. He recalled the era of Dr. Mahboob-ul-Haq when Pakistan was globally regarded as a development role model but lamented the failure to sustain that progress. “Now is the time for concrete, united steps toward national progress and prosperity,” he concluded.
