ISLAMABAD, Dec 15: The government is keen to reach out to the overseas Pakistanis and offer them an investment-friendly atmosphere coupled with assistance that can help them invest in this country, official sources said.

In this respect a compendium of investment opportunities for overseas Pakistanis, containing investment opportunities and incentives offered to them in various sectors, has recently been compiled.

The sources said this compendium of investment opportunities, developed by the Board Of Investment (BOI), gives an idea about which project is available for new investment or what is up for sale.

Pakistan offers numerous opportunities for investment in all sectors of the economy, including oil and gas, agriculture, infrastructure, information technology etc.

The major reason for investing in Pakistan for any overseas Pakistani should be that it is the market they know best, sources said.

They are also equipped to manage human resources available in this country because of their social and cultural understanding of Pakistan, they added.

A close look at some of the leading companies shows that in the last few years their average return on equity has been in the range of 14 to 62 per cent, the sources said, adding that the success of these companies was ample proof that Pakistan was the right place to invest.

“Investing in Pakistan means positioning your business in a geographically strategic location to target market opportunities offering many advantages for growth and development,” the sources said.

They said there were over 3.5 million Pakistani expatriates living and working in countries spread across the globe.

Individually they experience a variety of cultures, issues, living conditions, personal advantages and problems. But, collectively, they all have one thing in common - a commitment to a stronger, stable and prosperous Pakistan, they said.

It may be mentioned here that through an ordinance in March last year, the role of BOI was defined as a facilitator and the governing body i.e. the BOI inducted private members from overseas Pakistanis as well as from the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI).

“The role of BOI is now a facilitator instead of a regulator,” the sources added.—APP