KARACHI, Dec 30: Prime Minister’s Adviser on Investment and Privatization, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh on Monday said in order to achieve the investment targets a consultative process has got under way aimed at removing hurdles to investment side by side giving importance to the proposals of private sector.

He stated this while addressing the first meeting of the task force for investment here on Monday. Hafeez Shaikh said that a new vision is required for fast investment process in the country and the establishment of Task Force is a step towards that end.

The Task Force, he pointed out, will hold consultations with industrialists, businessmen and representatives of multi-national companies in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad so as to examine the impediments in investment.

He stressed the need for an open heart dialogue on trade, tax, exchange rate and investment policies and other issues so as to make them practicable and to help create a more conducive environment for investment.

Pointing out that Pakistan is rich in natural resources, the adviser emphasised that our focus should be on its positive projection and provision of best facilities for investment.

He told the meeting that Pakistan’s economy was stable today and international investors are awaiting a conducive environment from our side.

The Federal Adviser asked MD Siemens, Sohail Wajahat to send a detailed report regarding investment promotion within 20 days after holding a meeting with the members of the Task Force.

The meeting was attended by Chairman Investment Board, Waseem Haqqi, DG Arif Elahi, Moin Fudda, Sohail Wajahat, Asad Umer, Saud Hashmi, Shahid Firoz, Imran Hussain, Hasan Ali Chaniho, Arshad Zuberi, Syed Javed Iqbal, Shahid Ahmed, Farrukh Khan, Mazahir Walji, Mudassir Malik, Nadeem Abdullah, Amin Hashmani, Wajih Din, Dr Khurshid Nizam and others.—APP