Lufthansa keen to start operations in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The German flagship airline, Lufthansa is considering starting operations in Pakistan, a diplomat said on Wednesday.

During a meeting with Board of Investment secretary Fareena Mazhar, German Ambassador to Pakistan Bernhard Stephan Schlagheck said that a delegation of German businessmen is set to visit Pakistan in the following week to explore investment opportunities.

Lufthansa is also a part of the delegation and is keen on starting operations in Pakistan, he said, adding that the business delegation would be visiting Karachi and Islamabad and would be interacting with investors from the private sector and high-level government representatives.

The BoI secretary termed the forthcoming visit of German delegation to Pakistan a very positive sign for Pakistan’s economy.

She said BoI is looking forward to hosting the delegation and facilitating them in every possible way. She also said the senior level meetings with Siemens Global CFO to discuss their future plans will pave the way for Siemens establishing itself further in Pakistan.

The BoI secretary, while highlighting various opportunities in Pakistan said that the regulatory reform is a priority area for the present government and investors’ facilitation is being paid special attention.

Fareena Mazhar apprised the ambassador on the 10-year tax exemption introduced in the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and the landmark one-window operation that is set to be launched by the end of November this year.

“I’m confident with the way things are going and I’m positive that the numbers will increase,” the secretary said while talking about the foreign direct investment (FDI) in Pakistan.

She also said a jump of 15 to 20 positions is expected in Pakistan’s Ease of Doing Business (EODB) ranking in the State Bank’s next Doing Business report.

The secretary also said that Pakistan’s business climate at the moment is very conducive and the government has been introducing reforms to encourage foreign investment from across the world.

She said the business giants such as Samsung and Uniqlo are about to start their operations in Pakistan and assured that the Board of Investment, being the premier investment promotion and facilitation organisation, will facilitate German investors at every step.