AFTER making a strong case for investment in agriculture to unleash optimum potential of the country in the sector, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir conveyed a highly reassuring message to potential investors during his epoch-making address to the Pakistan Minerals Summit. While briefing the potential investors about the vast potential for profitable investment in the mineral wealth of the country, he held out an assurance for creation of a congenial investor-friendly system that avoids unnecessary delays and provides easy terms and conditions for business. He also tried to allay apprehensions of the potential investors by declaring that the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has laid down new rules for ‘ease of doing business’ for domestic and foreign investors.
The way the Army Chief pleaded the cause of investment makes it abundantly clear as to why the Pakistan Army has been associated with the cherished objective of putting the economy on the path of fast-paced growth and development. Economy and security are intrinsically linked and apart from the need to have a peaceful environment to attract investment, there are also concerns among potential investors about continuity of the policies that can only be assuaged through active cooperation of the Pakistan Army. General Asim Munir has a reputation of being a thorough professional and a chief who goes strictly by the book. His predecessor – General Qamar Javed Bajwa – too went out of the way to facilitate crucial foreign inflows but the incumbent Army Chief not only contributed his share in enlisting financial support from some friendly countries but has remained instrumental in devising an out-of-box strategy to address economic woes of the country focusing reliance on domestic resources. The speed with which the newly created SIFC is devising practical plans and programmes to market investment potential of the country and removing bottlenecks in the way of investment would surely make a difference in the foreseeable future. Proper utilization of the country’s untapped resources including the vast natural minerals and reserves can also help reduce crippling reliance on others and association of the Pakistan Army with the process would, hopefully, promote transparency and avoid unnecessary controversies in the way of their exploitation.
