KARACHI, March 21: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Wednesday reassured the foreign investors of consistency and continuity of policies and transparency that had made Pakistan a “destination of choice” for them.

He urged the investors to take full advantage of these opportunities.

He was talking to a delegation of Overseas Investors Chambers of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) which called on him at the Governor’s House. Mr Aziz drew their attention to the “level playing field” provided by his government to the local and foreign investors.

“The government is committed to give private sector the required platform to grow, it is for you to tap the opportunities,” he said pointing at the consistent high growth that had created a surge in demand.

Despite general criticism of his government’s policies vis-à-vis reducing poverty level and passing on the benefits of foreign investment to the poor segment of the society, Mr. Aziz claimed that poverty had declined both in rural and urban areas and the middle class was growing.

Referring to the 7.5pc growth rate during the last three years he reiterated his claim that Pakistan was among the fastest growing economies of Asia. Earlier in the day the prime minister performed the ground-breaking ceremony of Rs10bn Pakistan Textile City, which he claimed would be first ever problem-free textile specific industrial estate spread over 1,250 acres of land in the Port Qasim industrial zone.