KARACHI, July 14: The city government has established an Investment Facilitation Centre (IFC) and launched its official website through which intending investors could get complete information about the city and business opportunities available here.

The IFC will work as a part of the Enterprise and Investment Promotion (E&IP) department to provide a one-window facility to foreign investors.

Launching the website -- www.investinkarachi.com -- here on Saturday, City Nazim Mustafa Kamal said that the portal would synchronise the trade promotion between Karachi and other countries as the project was aimed at image marketing and providing facilities to potential investors.

He said that through the website all embassies and commercial consulates of Pakistan would be linked to the city government’s IFC.

The nazim informed newsmen that the city government hired three consultants on business relations, policies and regulations and investment strategies to make the IFC more effective.

He said a foreign direct investment of $1.2 billion had been made in Karachi which, he said, was due to the city government’s efforts, which had made the city an attractive base for foreign investors.

Giving details of the website, he said 80 to 90 per cent of the work on the Karachi portal has been completed and the website would be developed into an extensive portal by August 14.

He said the IFC was primarily aimed at marketing Karachi as an attractive business hub by providing all possible encouragement, guidance and facilities to local and foreign investors intending to establish or extend their business here.

He said the IFC would also ensure the provision of important business information, facilitation of site visits, business matchmaking and interfacing with government departments and associated support.

Mr Kamal said that the services include in-depth business analyses, market studies, financing, human resources and many other support services, besides delivering government information on funding and other support services for businesses as well as on taxation, import/export regulations, government projects, employment legislation and immigration requirements.

The portal would later include detailed information regarding all federal government departments relating to investment.

The nazim said that a computerised community complaint centre would start functioning from August 14, where people would be able to lodge their complaints round-the-clock.