January 17, 2022
DUBAI: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government on Sunday signed 44 deals worth more than $10 billion to bring in foreign investment, build infrastructure and promote hospitality and tourism in the province.
The memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Conference with the theme of "Land of Growing Opportunities" in Dubai. The investors from the UAE, Pakistani and Chinese groups pledged to invest in integrated tourism zones, special economic zones and industrial cities across the province.
The projects in tourism, energy and power, solar energy, livestock, infrastructure, and water sports attracted the business community for investment, according to the Chief Executive Officer of the Board of Investment, KP Dr Hassan Daud Butt.
Dr Hassan Daud Butt revealed to The News that the KP government was able to gain the trust of the business community in order to invest more than $10 billion in the tourism, energy and power sectors, and various other projects.
Addressing the conference, the KP Minister for Finance, Taimur Saleem Jhagra, invited the investors to the province for better dividends and returns. He expressed hope that KP would become a potential international tourism hub.
Asked about the Swat Airport's promotion of tourism, Taimur Saleem Jhagra informed The News that the KP government has plans to build "Khyber Pakhtunkhwa International Airport" along the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway.
KP Minister for Culture Shoukat Yousufzai clearly stated that the government will follow these MoUs and definitely materialise the investment pledges.
Speaking with The News, Shoukat Yousufzai said that KP would provide a trade route to Central Asia through Afghanistan. He believed that a peaceful Afghanistan would lead to more investment opportunities in the region.
The Ambassador of Pakistan to the United Arab Emirates, Afzal Mahmood, lauded the KP government that the province had participated in the Pakistan Pavilion during Dubai Expo 2020 in an excellent manner and presented its projects which would be helpful for investment in the province.
The investment conference was part of a series of events being organised by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government at Dubai Expo 2020 to showcase the investment potential in the land of growing opportunities.