Pakistan is aiming to get investment worth USD 30-50 billion in the next four to five years in agriculture under a programme to transform the economy, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday. Sharif said this while addressing a seminar on agriculture and food security in Islamabad which was also attended by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir.
He said that the landmark steps were being taken to exploit its full potential in agriculture and other domains under the ambit of the recently launched Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).
He said the Green Pakistan Initiative, which is part of the SIFC, would be the second green revolution, paving the way for prosperity and progress in the country and the government anticipated an average investment of 30 to 50 billion dollars over the next four to five years.
“Our efforts are focused to enhance productivity and transform barren land into fertile ground which will significantly bolster our revenues," he said, adding that envoys of many Gulf countries expressed their interest in investing in Pakistan in a recently held meeting. The prime minister stated that the country cannot depend on loans.
“Pakistan cannot take further loans. I, COAS or the finance minister cannot reveal how we managed to acquire a loan to try and avert a default,” he said. He said the aim of the programme was to revive agriculture and the economy and all measures were being taken to pull the country out of economic problems.
General Asim Munir in his address assured the people and the government of the army’s full support for all the initiatives under the SIFC including the Green Pakistan Initiative. Potential investors and experts from the UK, Italy, Spain, China, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and various other countries also attended the seminar.
Pakistan has recently signed an agreement with the IMF to get a loan of USD 3 billion over a period of nine months which had averted the fear of default for a short term, but the country needs to make efforts to revive the economy.
