KARACHI, March 27: Minister for Privatization and Investment Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said on Sunday that Pakistan for the first time would attract a direct foreign investment of one billion dollar this year. “Speaking at the inaugural session of an international conference on ‘Investment Opportunities in Pakistan’ at the Expo Centre here, he said the country had so far attracted $600 million in seven months which was 50 per cent higher as compared to the same period last year.

“Last year Pakistan had attracted $950 million and this year we expect to cross the one billion dollar mark,” he observed.

He said the direct foreign investment inflow had increased rapidly from $422 million a few years ago to $950 million last year. Most of the investment had been made in oil and gas, telecommunication, construction and real estate sectors.—APP