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  • Feb 8th, 2005
  • Comments Off on UK firms moving to Pakistan to seize trade opportunities
Many big British firms have started moving to Pakistan to seize upon investment opportunities after an economic turnaround of its economy during the past five years, said a leading British paper. "Jaguar and Land Rover are expanding their operations to sell the country's new money, and the big overseas retailers are starting moving in," said The Times in a comment on the booming economy of the country. Pakistan, it said, is seen by them "as an alternative supplier to China and India. Asda already has a number of supply agreements with local textile manufacturers, Tesco is looking hard, and so are Carrefour of France and target of America.

International Power, it said, already owned 36 percent of Kot Addu which was planning to release more shares to the public this month.

Big firms such as Shell, KI and BAT have subsidiaries that are listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange. Premier Oil, a British exploration company, has stayed throughout the past 15 years. Tullow Oil, another exploration group, also has a presence in the region, said the daily.

"British businesses are starting to return to Pakistan and have faith in the country as new leadership and the improving economic lands6ape", said the British paper.

It must be recalled here that the Pakistan's envoy to London, Dr Maleeha Lodhi, has been striving for persuading British investors to capitalise on the investor-friendly ambience in the country, while impressing upon them to distinguish between the realities on the ground and the perception abroad.

Maleeha Lodhi's efforts also helped convince about hundred British investors in the Expo - 2005 which concluded in Karachi on Saturday.

Board of Investment (BoI) Chairman Waseem Haqqie was quoted as saying that Unilever and Procter and Gamble were now making returns of more than 100 percent.

"Many British importers are doing well by sourcing goods from Pakistan. Dita, a hockey-stick maker, exports 20,000 sticks a year to Britain and 50,000 to Holland. British firms are also tapping the booming work on privatisation", said the daily. Central Board of Revenue (CBR) Chairman Abdullah Yousaf, it said, was confident that the country was attracting foreign companies.

"If we can maintain regional stability and a fiscal regime that is conducive to investment, we will see more foreign companies here, Yousaf was quoted as saying.

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2005


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