ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has welcomed Pak Suzuki Motor Company’s plan for to setting up its second assembly plant at Port Qasim, Karachi.

While talking to a delegation, led by Suzuki’s Global Chairman Osamu Suzuki on Tuesday, the premier said the government is committed towards supporting the development of private sector, promoting investment, improving ease of doing business and growth of manufacturing sector.

The delegation apprised the PM that the construction of second plant will increase company’s manufacturing capacity by additional 100,000 vehicles per year.

The delegation included Kinji Saito, Masafumi Harano, Shigeo Takezawa, Yusuke Katto and Shafiq A Shaikh. The members briefed the Prime Minister on the existing investment of Suzuki Motors and the company’s future investment plans.

Meanwhile, speaking at the Pak Suzuki’s ceremony held to mark the production of two million units in the country on Monday, Adviser to PM on Commerce, Textile, Investment, Industries and Production Abdul Razzak Dawood said that the company is planning to build its second assembly with an investment of $460 million.

The company has already acquired 80 acres right next to the existing plant at Port Qasim. As per market reports, the company is all set to roll out Alto 660cc in place of iconic Mehran 800cc which ruled the roads for 30 years.

Coca-Cola to invest $200m

In a separate meeting a delegation of Coca-Cola Company and bottling partners Coca-Cola Iecek Turkey, informed the prime minister regarding their short and long-term investment plans and shared that they have already invested over $500m in past five years and plan to invest another $200m in the coming years.

They said that this will create new jobs in the economy, support ancillary industries and help the government in earning incremental revenue through taxes. The delegation hoped that the company’s investment would encourage other international companies to invest in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2018