Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed satisfaction on Thursday with a new report from the Overseas Investors Chambers of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), which highlighted a significant increase in foreign investors’ confidence in Pakistan. The report shows a shift in the international perception of Pakistan, with confidence rising from a negative 10 percent to a positive 31 percent, a change the prime minister described as highly encouraging.
Sharif also noted improvements in various sectors, including employment opportunities, manufacturing, and services. The growth rate in the manufacturing sector surged from 2% to 6%, while the services sector grew sharply from 7% to 30%. He also pointed out increases in cement sales, the auto industry, and the fertilizer and petroleum sectors.
The prime minister stressed that these positive outcomes send a strong message to international investors, reinforcing Pakistan’s reputation as a trusted and promising investment destination. He credited the improvement in foreign investor confidence to record exports and higher foreign remittances.
However, a senior leader from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who spoke anonymously, criticized the OICCI report, calling it an overly optimistic portrayal of the country’s economy. He claimed that the government’s economic policies, particularly the military-backed Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), had failed to attract real investments. He described the report as part of a misleading effort to hide the failures of the current regime’s economic management.
