Rana Ihsaan Afzal (SAPM on Commerce & Industry):
Pakistan has a lot of potential to attract Foreign Direct Investment, but it has been undermined for a long time. But now by the efforts of incumbent government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan is moving forward in all fields and sectors simultaneously. The capacity of the energy sector is being accelerated by multiple power projects under China Pakistan Economic Corridor cooperation that will definitely assist us to strengthen our industries and we’ll see far more development in the future. The last visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has attracted much investment into the country and is still working to bring in more. The Gwadar port is definitely a game changer for Pakistan, as it connects with Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries which are more than interested to enhance trade and bilateral cooperation.
Dr. Talat Shabbir (Dir. Institute of Strategic Studies):
When we talk about China Pakistan Economic Corridor and we relate it with regional capacity building, we see its potential is far more than just in the region. The Belt & Road initiative is the future of trade cooperation among the South Asian as well as Middle Eastern countries combing many other in the region. China is also very concerned for this project as it will provide much assistance in their trade. CPEC has the potential to such an extent that any country would be interested to invest in these projects and it is very fortunate for us that such investments are being attracted. This all is due to the efforts by the incumbent government led by Prime Minister Shehhaz Sharif and they’re working furthermore for such initiatives.
