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Published 06 Jun, 2004 12:00am

Investment package offered to OECD states

ISLAMABAD, June 5: Federal Minister for Industries and Production, Liaquat Ali Jatoi has offered an investment package to the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member and non-member states.

The minister offered the package while talking to the six ministers of various countries in separate meetings at Istanbul on Saturday, according to a fax message received here.

Jatoi stated that a number of incentives was being given for investment in the Export Processing Zones, Gwadar free trade zone, and proposed textile cities. Foreign investors are allowed to hold 100 per cent equity and enjoy tax concessions, he said.

"There is no bar on repatriation of capital and profits. Technical and franchise free and payment of royalty are allowed without any restrictions," he said.

Mr. Jatoi is leading the Pakistani delegation in the 2nd OECD Ministerial Conference on SMEs. More than 2000 delegates are participating from member and non-member states of OECD.

The minister held meetings with Luiz Fernando Furlan, Minister for Development Industry and Foreign Trade of Brazil; Noer Soetrisno, Deputy Minister, Assessment of Cooperative and SMEs, Indonesia; Motiur Rehman Nizami, Minister for Industries, Bangladesh; Rezzo Schalauch, Parliamentary State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Economic and Labour, Germany, Turkish and Serbian Ministers and discussed issues of mutual interest pertaining to industry, trade and commerce.

In his meeting with Brazilian counterpart, Jatoi emphasized the need of enhancing the volume of trade and suggested a Business Counsels between the two countries.

The minister stated that Pakistan can export textile, surgical instruments, sport goods, and auto parts.

The Brazilian minister showed keen interest in the import of textile goods and suggested that Pakistan could also import iron- ore and cotton from Brazil. Jatoi also invited him to visit Pakistan.

During his meeting with Bangladesh Minister, he said that Pakistan had already offered a credit of $5 million for BMR of sugar mills and hoped that the acceptance from Bangladesh would come soon.

He also stressed an urgent need to increase the collaboration in the industrial sector and trade. The Minister also offered assistance to Bangladesh in textile sector as Pakistan has a lot of expertise and was also willing to set up joint ventures.

Talking to Indonesian Minister, he said that there should be more interaction between the two countries to strengthen economic and trade ties and should set up joint ventures in the field of agriculture, power sector, mining and textile.

The Turkish and Serbian Ministers also shown their interest to invest in Pakistan and enhance trade linkage with Pakistan.

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