2 April, 2005	Saturday	22 Safar 1426

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PESHAWAR, April 1: Iranian entrepreneurs expressing their interest in the auto mobile sector have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost trade and business activities between the NWFP and the Iranian province of Gilan. Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani, while talking to a delegation of Iranian investors here at the Frontier’s House on Friday morning, said that the NWFP offered ideal environment for investment, an official handout said.

The chief minister invited the members of the delegation to invest in the exploration of NWFP’s natural resources.

He said that the government would encourage public-private partnership in areas that would suit the Iranian investors. The NWFP would become a hub of trade and economic activities following the response of domestic and foreign entrepreneurs for investment in hydro, mineral, tourism sectors, and cement and sugar plants, he said, adding that the government had already announced investment and industrial policy.

The chief minister said that his government had given incentives and abolished education cess, property tax and announced some other relaxations.

Mr Durrani said that his government would make a legislation to ensure that no government in future make any changes in the incentive package announced by the MMA-led provincial government.

He claimed that the law and order situation in the province was far better than any other parts of the country. The chief minister said that investment by Iranians in the NWFP would further strengthen the ties between the people of Pakistan and Iran. He extended his government’s support for the Iranian products’ exhibition in Peshawar.

The Iranian delegation also met the members of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industries (SCCI).