Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar appreciated on Friday the efforts of relevant ministries for identifying prospective areas of collaboration under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and directed all stakeholders to realise the envisioned long-term economic dividends.

He said this while presiding over a special session of the Apex Committee of SIFC held in Islamabad to foster strategic partnerships with friendly countries.

The meeting was attended by Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, ministers and high-level government officials, a PM Office press release said.

The apex committee reviewed the existing level of collaboration and unanimously approved various initiatives to be broached with friendly countries and directed the officials to fast-track the implementation of various projects conceived under these initiatives.

COAS Munir assured the government of the army’s “unwavering resolve” to support economic initiatives being undertaken by the government.

While talking to reporters earlier in the day, Kakar said that the SIFC was providing an opportunity for ease of business and the country expected “good news in weeks” about foreign investment of billions of dollars in areas of agriculture, information technology and mining.

He expressed confidence that the SIFC would ensure the continuity of projects despite the change of governments. Kakar also endorsed the idea of including members of the business community to expand its potential.

The EXIM (Export-Import) Bank was working on providing financial services to Pakistan, which would help the local businessmen and traders to carry out financial transactions abroad, the interim PM added.

Kakar went on to add that the Trans-Afghan railway would connect Uzbekistan with Pakistan. Also, the work on the improvement of the Quetta-Taftan rail network was under way, he said.

The prime minister favoured reforms in taxation, saying that his government believed in cutting expenditures and was also working on the forthcoming reforms of the Federal Board of Revenue.

“Wealth creation through taxation is the best tool for a government to use the revenue for establishing schools, hospitals, and road infrastructure,” he said.