News
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Pakistan welcomes multifarious Turkish investments: Gilani* PM says ready to offer special incentive package, exclusive investment zone for Turkish entrepreneurs, companies
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday said Pakistan is seeking more Turkish investments in multifarious sectors and is ready to offer special incentive package and exclusive investment zone for Turkish entrepreneurs and companies.
Speaking at a dinner hosted in honour of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Gilani said, “Pakistan would warmly welcome more Turkish investments in infrastructure, including energy, construction and communication as well as in urban development and agriculture sectors.”
“We are ready to consider a special incentives package and establishment of an exclusive investment zone for Turkish entrepreneurs and companies desirous of setting up their businesses in Pakistan,” he added. He said he was convinced that the second High-Level Cooperation Council (HLCC) would set a new roadmap for expanding strategic partnership between Pakistan and Turkey, especially in economic and commercial fields.
Gilani said, “We, in Pakistan, admire the giant strides that Turkey has made on the road to socio-economic progress under your visionary leadership. The people-centric policies and the welfare agenda of your government have made a deep impact in improving the lives of ordinary citizens in Turkey. We would like to learn from Turkey’s experience.”
The premier acknowledged the personal involvement and contribution of his Turkish counterpart in fostering the exemplary relationship. “The people of Pakistan cannot forget the support and affection demonstrated by you and Madam Emine Erdogan for the victims of 2005 earthquake and 2010 floods,” he added. Gilani said Pakistan attaches great importance to strengthening bilateral economic and commercial relations with Turkey. “Our bilateral trade crossed $1 billion mark last year. It is a welcome development; yet it does not reflect the true potential of extensive business opportunities that exist between our two countries.”
Gilani expressed the confidence that signing of a comprehensive and meaningful Preferential Trade Agreement, which provides comparative advantage to entrepreneurs and businessmen from both countries, will result in a substantial increase in the bilateral trade. He said Pakistan had grievously suffered over the past decade due to terrorism and extremism that continues to plague their region.
Meanwhile, during the joint sitting of parliament with the Turkish PM, Gilani vowed to take Pakistan-Turkey partnership to greater heights in the coming years, as both countries were tied in strong historical and cultural bonds. Presenting a vote of thanks to Erdogan, Gilani showered immense appreciation on the Turkish PM for his support to Pakistan in times of trial like devastating floods in previous two years.He called Erdogan’s address to the session another milestone in the long and glorious journey of friendship and brotherhood between our two great nations.
Commending Turkey’s rapid growth, Gilani noted that the world was witnessing the breathtaking progress that Turkey had made under the charismatic and wise leadership of PM Erdogan.
“We appreciate the way Turkey has emerged as a modern society while retaining the distinct features of its glorious culture and great heritage. Turkey is also emerging as a role model for the Islamic world in terms of the recent political and constitutional reforms which have helped in strengthening democracy and harmonising roles of the state institutions,” he pointed out. staff report/app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk