Prime Minister of Pakistan meets leading Turkish businessmen and investors in Ankara

ANKARA, 4 January 2019: The Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Imran Khan met with the leading Turkish businessmen and investors in Ankara this morning. 

About 20 leading Turkish investors and businessmen who have on-going projects in Pakistan participated in the first meeting. Turkey-Pakistan Business Council of the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEIK) organized the meeting. President of DEIK Mr. Nail Olpak and Chairman of Turkey-Pakistan Business Council Mr. Atilla Yerlikaya briefed the Prime Minister about Turkish investments in Pakistan. Turkish CEOs introduced their existing operations and updated about future plans.

Prime Minister Imran Khan stressed on the need to transform the exemplary brotherly Pakistan-Turkey ties into a vibrant economic partnership. Showing satisfaction at the growing Turkish investments in Pakistan, Prime Minister assured all possible Government facilitation to the Turkish investors. He said Pakistan is endowed with a wealth of resources, demographic potential, and an educated workforce.  He said Pakistan’s investment policy offers ideal opportunities to Turkish investors. He updated that concerted efforts are underway to further improve ‘ease of doing business’ in Pakistan. 

CEOs and senior officials of Limak Construction, Coca Cola Beverages, Havelsan, Hayat Kimya, Arçelik, Dolsar, Tgl Transtas Global Logistics, Zorlu Energy, Ora Construction, Bank Al Habib, and Tüm Ekip Pharma attended the meeting. DEİK/Turkey-Pakistan Business Council was established in 1986 to develop bilateral economic relations between the two countries. The Business Council focuses its activities on creating new business opportunities for Turkish and Pakistani companies. 

Later, a 20-member delegation of Turkish Contractors Association met with the Prime Minister. They showed keen interest to invest in infrastructure sector. They briefed Prime Minister about their future investment projects in Pakistan. Prime Minister appreciated their decision to start investing in Pakistan and assured all out support of the Government. Another delegation of eminent businessmen who have projects in agro-based and dairy sector also met with the Prime Minister. 

A delegation led by the Minister of Health of Turkey Dr. Fahrettin Koca (Koja) that included health sector entrepreneurs also called on the Prime Minister. Prospects of collaboration in the health sector including capacity building, experience sharing, technology transfer and investment were discussed. Prime Minister also met with a delegation of investors in agro-based industry led by Turkish Minister for Agriculture and Forestry Mr. Bekir Pakdemirli. Prospects of collaboration in food processing, dairy sector and food chain management were discussed

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Minister for Planning Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Adviser to the Prime Minister for Commerce, Textile, Industry & Production Abdul Razak Dawood,  Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfikar Bukhari, Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, Ambassador of Pakistan to Turkey Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi and Pakistan Consul General in Istanbul Mr. Bilal Khan Pasha also attended the meetings.