——– Pakistan to foster business-friendly environment, Shehbaz assures US investors
——– Highlights economic potential between both countries
——– Stresses need for more business exchanges between two countries
——– ‘‘We plan on investing billions of dollars in Pakistan across a number of different areas,” says US delegation head
By Anzal Amin
\ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday reiterated his government’s commitment to facilitating foreign investors by ensuring a business-friendly environment, streamlined processes, and strong institutional support.
During a meeting with an international investors’ delegation led by prominent US investor Gentry Beach, Shehbaz Sharif highlighted Pakistan’s strategic location, youthful workforce, and growing consumer market as key factors making the country an attractive investment destination.
“We are dedicated to creating an environment where investors feel confident and supported,” the prime minister said, expressing gratitude for the delegation’s interest in exploring business opportunities in Pakistan.
Gentry Beach praised Pakistan’s economic potential and affirmed his delegation’s enthusiasm to invest in key sectors, including mining, minerals, renewable energy, infrastructure, and technology. He acknowledged the government’s pro-investment policies and voiced confidence in Pakistan’s future economic growth.
The high-level meeting reflects the government’s proactive efforts to attract foreign direct investment, drive sustainable economic expansion, and create employment opportunities.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, and other senior officials, including Federal Ministers Abdul Aleem Khan, Attaullah Tarar, Minister of State Ali Pervaiz Malik, and SAPM Tariq Fatemi, were also present at the meeting.
Earlier, Following US President Donald Trump’s pledge to take back military equipment left be-hind in Afghanistan during troops withdrawal in 2021, the Foreign Office said that the advanced weap-ons have been an issue of profound concern for the safety and security of Pakistan and its citizens.
“These weapons, left behind in the aftermath of the withdrawal of its troops in August 2021, have been used by terrorist organisations, including the TTP [Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan], to carry out ter-rorist attacks in Pakistan,” FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said in a statement on Wednesday.
He noted that Pakistan has been “repeatedly calling upon the de facto authorities in Kabul to take all necessary measures to ensure that these weapons do not fall into the wrong hands”.
On the eve of his presidential inauguration, Trump at a public rally threatened Afghanistan to snap all the financial assistance if the nation does not return US aircraft, air-to-ground munitions, vehicles and communications equipment.
“If we’re going to pay billions of dollars a year, tell them we’re not going to give them the money un-less they give back our military equipment,” he said.
However, Taliban reportedly refused to return any of the military equipment and urged the US to pro-vide them with more advanced weapons to fight Daesh.
According to a report by the US Department of Defence in 2022, the US left behind $7 billion worth of military equipment in Afghanistan which was quickly seized by Taliban fighters as they swept the coun-try.
The US forces tried to dismantle or destroy as much of their machinery as they could in the last weeks of their chaotic pull-out. However, huge amounts still fell to the Taliban in August 2021.
Although it was Trump’s first administration that signed the deal with the Taliban to withdraw forces from Afghanistan, the president strongly slammed the way the Joe Biden administration handled the pullout.
Biden carried out the agreement, with the Western-backed Afghanistan government swiftly collapsing and the Taliban retaking power. The scenes of chaos in Kabul drew criticism, especially when scores of Afghans and around 13 American troops died in a suicide bombing at the city’s airport.
