November 12, 2007	Monday	Ziqa’ad 01, 1428

PESHAWAR, Nov 11: The Board of Investment, in cooperation with the NWFP government and Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), will hold the second NWFP Investment Conference next month.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting held here on Saturday at the SCCI.

The meeting formed a committee, comprising officials of BoI, SCCI and Sarhad Development Authority (SDA), for organising the coming event in a successful way.

Speaking on the occasion, Secretary of BoI Mushtaq Malak said that the proposed conference would be held in late November or early December, where a strategy would be prepared for proposed Reconstruction Opportunities Zones (ROZs), to be built in tribal areas in collaboration with the US.

US President George W. Bush had announced establishment of ROZs in tribal areas of Pakistan during his visit to Islamabad in June 2006. Products to be manufactured in industrial units located in the ROZs would have duty free access to American markets.

According to reports, the US Congress is currently studying a bill that would authorise the US administration to implement the project.

Mr Malak further said that investors from across the country would take part in the conference, where they would be given first-hand information about different potential sectors of the province.

He said Special Economic Zones were being established along the Peshawar-Islamabad section of the Motorway, which would improve economic conditions of the people of the NWFP because of expected greater flow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

Speaking on the occasion, SCCI President Liaquat Ahmad Khan lamented that no fresh investment had been made in the NWFP during the past couple of years because of growing lawlessness and acts of terrorism.

He, however, expressed the hope that the conference would help decrease uncertainty among the investors.

He said financial problems of the people would increase if the government did not tackle the law and order situation in the province.

He asked the BoI to announce incentives for investors in order to boost investment and industrialisation activities in the NWFP.