• BAT Group reaffirms commitment to investment in Pakistan.
• GBS Pakistan provides IT solutions to 35+ countries.
• Global Business Solutions Hub in Lahore employs 500+ graduates.

ISLAMABAD: British American Tobacco Group (BAT) has shown its commitment to continue investment in Pakistan.

While talking with media persons in an informal discussion, BAT Group’s Regional Director for Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa, Michael Dijanosic, said that BAT has launched its Global Business Solutions Hub in Lahore and has provided job opportunities to more than 500 business graduates in the last year.

GBS Pakistan is providing IT-enabled high-end solutions to more than 35 countries globally in the fields of data analytics, finance, and others. In the future, GBS, Pakistan Hub, has the potential to provide employment opportunities to 3000 business graduates in Pakistan. Pakistani business graduates are talented and have exceptional skills, he added.

On a question, he said that we have apprised SIFC regarding BAT’s investment plan in Pakistan. SIFC and the Government of Pakistan are committed to facilitating and protecting foreign direct investment in the country, he added.

Mr. Michael Dijanosic has added that the illicit cigarette trade is harming the country immensely and the Pakistani government is losing 300 billion rupees due to tax evasion. In the past year, illicit trade has increased by more than 20%. If the situation remains as is, business sustainability will be a major risk for the legitimate sector. PTC, a local subsidiary of BAT Group, has already exported two cigarette manufacturing machines to other countries due to an immense loss of volume.

In 2011–2012, illicit cigarette trade was at 20-22% and in 2023–24, it has increased to 56–58%, he added.

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