According to a report issued by the State Bank, the foreign direct investment in the country remained $288 million in October 2017as compared to $115 million in the same month of the previous year. The Chinese share in the investment was $202 million, which came as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Malaysia came as the second highest investor in this country which invested $107 million in the first four months, up 1,088 percent as compared to $8 million in the corresponding period of the last year. The other countries invested in Pakistan included France with $38 million investment, the Netherlands with $33 million, Hungary $28 million, the US $27 million and the UAE $24 million. The total investment in the first four months of the current fiscal year touched $940 million, which is 74 percent more as compared to $539 million in the same period of the last year. Looking at the business potentials of the country, this is investment can be regarded as not more than handful of peanuts. However, keeping in view the ground realities, the volume of investment is promising as at least the foreign investors have started taking interest in the economy of Pakistan.
The country has suffered years of terrorism, political uncertainty and chronic energy crisis. Hostility of India toward Pakistan is not a secret and it is its mission to damage our national interests by disseminating disinformation and false propaganda news. However, the fact remains that the Pakistani policy-makers brought more harm to the country than the enemy. The Pakistani missions abroad are drawing hefty salaries and perks at the cost of the taxpayers’ money, but have failed to fulfill their responsibilities both on economic and political fronts. Had they fulfill their official responsibilities sincerely, Pakistan would have been a developed country until now. Unfortunately, the policymakers at home and foreign missions abroad both have failed to show minimum performance in any field of life. In this situation, the Chinese and other countries’ investment is good omen for a country where population is growing at the fastest rate of the world.
The general elections are less than a year away and increase in the investment inflow shows that the world business community is taking keen interest in developing business and trade relations with Pakistan. The current government though has limited time, but big responsibilities on its shoulder and the prime minister, who himself is a businessman, should show his mettle to put the country on the road of progress and prosperity.
