PESHAWAR: Chief of Political and Economic Section at US Consulate General Peshawar, Dustin Degrande, called on Special Assistant to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Industries, Commerce and Technical Education, Abdul Karim Tordher here on Monday.
Beside matters of the bilateral interest, other matters especially trade relations, cooperation in social sectors and possibilities of further expansion in them also come under discussion during the meeting.
Besides, Secretary Industries, Commerce and Technical Education, Aamir Aafaq, Managing Director (MD) Small Industries Development Board (SIDB) Habibullah Arif, Additional Secretary Shama Niamat, Director TEVTA Munir Gul, Director Business Facilitation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade (BoIT) Iqbal Sarwar and authorities of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company (KP-EZDMC) and Department of Industries also attended the meeting.
During the meeting, the Special Assistant spoke in detail regarding foreign investment and especially the possibilities of assistance while keeping in view the peculiar situation and its requirement in the province.
The Special Assistant said that the development of the merged districts required foreign assistance while they are also looking for foreign cooperation in the provision of energy to the industrial sector of the province.
He said that due to its geographical location, the province has a unique status in industrialization, which require more focus on the progress and development of the region. Abdul Karim further said that despite all these confronting challenges, the provincial government is making all-out efforts for the sustainable development and in this connection special concentration is being given to the sector of trade and industry.
He said that they welcome foreign investment and hopeful of US investment and sustainable grants for various sectors. On this occasion, the US representative was also given briefing regarding possibilities of cooperation in various sectors including technical education and vocational training, investment and financial assistance.
Speaking on the occasion, the representative of the United States said that Pakistan and the United States have old and long bilateral relations and assistance is being provided in energy, potable water, technical and vocational training and other sectors.
He said that there is vast potential of investment in the IT, mineral and hydel sectors of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and in future will continue mutual contacts regarding investment in different projects and possibilities of mutual cooperation while the provincial government will also be kept in lope regarding US assistance in different projects.
