04 September 2004	Saturday	18 Rajab 1425

ISLAMABAD, Sept 3: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz would preside a meeting of the Board of Investment (BoI) on Monday. The meeting will review investment climate and approve measures for attracting foreign and domestic investment in the country.

A senior BoI official told Dawn that this would be the first meeting of the BoI in five years. Last such meeting was held in 1998. The meeting will also, be attended by the four chief ministers, besides 14 members from the public and 12 from the private sectors.

With improved macro-economic situation, comparatively stable political environment, better relations with India, and consistency in economic policies, the new government aims at accelerating investment activity.

Minister for Privatization and Investment Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh is the Vice President of the Board, in the capacity of the investment minister. He held a meeting on Friday to finalize the programme and agenda of Monday's meeting. He directed the Board to energize investment activity in all sectors.

The BoI Chairman, Waseem Haqee and Secretary Jahangir Bashar also attended the meeting. Hafeez Shaikh said that the FDI flow of 19 per cent or $950 million as compared to the previous year was significant but it needs further improvement in a pro-active manner.

He informed the meeting that the Gross Domestic Fixed Capital Formation (GDFCF) attracted $14.364 billion domestic investment in 2003-04 as compared to $11.176 billion in 2002-03.

He said that the BoI meeting minister would pave way for better investment scenario and it would also accelerate provincial and inter-ministerial cooperation in this regard.