ISLAMABAD, March 19: Bashir Tahir, Adviser to the Abu Dhabi Group along with Chief Executive Officer Warid Telecom called on Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Saturday and briefed him of the group’s investment plans in Pakistan. The Prime Minister said that the government has opened up the telecom sector to foreign investment and has introduced reforms which have attracted investors from around the world. Bashir Tahir said the Group will be setting up a nation-wide optic fibre network in Pakistan through their sister concern “Wateen Telecom”. The group would also diversify its investments in other sectors like real-estate development and spread their telephone network to rural areas through satellite systems, he said. The group has already had major investment in Bank Al-Falah and United Bank Limited. It has recently obtained the licence under the name of Warid Telecom to set up cellular telephone network in Pakistan. Bashir Tahir complimented the Prime Minister on the progressive policies and reforms introduced during the last five years and said that Pakistan had provided level-playing field to local and foreign investors by ensuring transparency in the award of licences and permissions.

This, he said, has boosted confidence of the international business community in Pakistan’s economy.

The Prime Minister appreciated the commitment and the confidence of the Group in Pakistan an added that the Group was a partner in Pakistan’s progress.

—APP