ISLAMABAD: Minister for planning and development Ahsen Iqbal said that foreign investment will not come until day of Judgment in poltical uncertainty and confrontation. We have to become economic nation, he said and political stability and continuation in policy only bring economic development. Addressing ceremony of launching report of private investment and CPEC’s (Pak-China Economic corridor) benefits yesterday he said that this is wrong opinion that Paksitan is underdeveloped due to corruption, Pakistani nation is as corrupt and others.

Country would not develop in political instability and we have to think that have we achieved our targets? What are reasons other countries went ahead? Further he said if being nation we will diagnose disease, treatment will be right. Political uncertainty never brings investment. Economic stability increases imports to stable payments, he continued, in 2013 CPEC was a piece of paper and China invested in Pakistan on time when investors were not ready to invest and any country including America was not ready to invest. He said China in last 5 years invested 29 billion dollar in Pakistan. They invested in Tharcoal and tharcoal plant is able to generate electricity for 400 years and this is Pakistan’s cheapest energy generating project. CPEC is not only electricity and infrastructure project, it is strategic project. From 2020 to 2025 we were supposed to establish 5 economic zones and relocate China’s industry but former government only was troubleshooting for two years. He said we have to increase tax to GDP.

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 26 2022

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