May 18, 2008	Sunday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 12, 1429

ISLAMABAD, May 17: Federal Minister for Finance Naveed Qamar said on Saturday that the government priority was to build a broad-based industrial and investment infrastructure in the country.

He stated this while talking to a Malaysian investment delegation headed by Prince Raja Ashman Shah Bin Raja Azlan Shah. The delegation comprised chief executives of companies engaged in major infrastructure projects in Malaysia and overseas.

The minister said with the restoration of democracy in Pakistan the private sector was now set to launch various portfolio-based investment projects that would ensure a rapid development of economic activities in the country.

“Foreign investment in Pakistan is being welcomed to keep pace with industrial development of other Asian countries for a more prosperous Asia,” he stressed.

The minister said Pakistan and Malaysia could join hands in sharing latter’s expertise in palm oil production and processing by developing infrastructure, focusing on local consumption and export needs.

An official announcement said the visiting group was earlier given a presentation at the Board of Investment on various economic development and industry-specific issues, highlighting the government’s economic policies and salient features on investment and trade.

The Malaysian group currently on a visit to Pakistan has an elaborate schedule of meetings with different public and private sector organisations relating to multi-sectoral investment in the country.

During discussion with the finance minister, it showed keen interest in coal-fired power generation projects in consideration of huge quantity of coal reserves in Pakistan, the announcement added.