March 21, 2006	Tuesday	Safar 20, 1427

ISLAMABAD, March 20: Prime minister Shaukat Aziz said on Monday that the structural reforms introduced by the government in financial and capital market sectors were paying off and both sectors were benefiting from them.

The prime minister said this while talking to Mr Paul Callello, Chief Executive Officer of Credit Suisse Asia-Pacific who called on him at the PM House.

He said that due to sound macro-economic management and structural reforms economy in Pakistan was on high growth rate and was also improving the per capita income of the people reducing poverty and creating jobs.

The premier said the basic objective of the economic policies, that were introduced by this government, was to improve the quality of life of common man.

He said the government had now introduced second generation reforms to further improve and develop the country. The reforms, he said, were holistic and continuous because Pakistan had to be fully prepared to meet the challenges of globalization, which was an opportunity, our industry and economy could achieve competitiveness and higher productivity.

The capital markets in Pakistan have performed well as the government is encouraging local and foreign investors to take advantage of this opportunity, the premier said.

He welcomed the Credit Suisse’s interest in Pakistan and encouraged them to invest in the asset management business in the country, adding that real estate investment trust, private equity, hedge funds and venture capital offered opportunities for growth and institutions like Credit Suisse could help introduce them in our market.

Mr Callello said the economic policies of Pakistan were appreciable and were recognized all over the world especially in the investors’ and financial community.

Credit Suisse has invited Pakistan to participate in their upcoming global investment conference so that Pakistan’s success story can be told and investors from all over the world can benefit from the opportunities that existed here.