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First meeting on the President’s Special Initiatives
on investment was held at President’s Camp Office, Rawalpindi. The meeting
was presided over by the President of Pakistan General Pervez
Musharraf. The Minister for Industries and Production Mr. Jahangir
Khan Tareen, Minister of State for Privatization, Investment and
Special Initiatives Mr. Umer Ahmed Ghuman were present besides the Federal
Secretaries and Vice Chairman Planning Commission. The meeting was
also attended amongst other investors by Mr. M. Dawood Khan, Chief
Executive and Ms. Mahreen D. Khan, Director, Prime Transport
Limited. While briefing the President of Pakistan Mr .M. Dawood
Khan gave a detailed presentation of the project, which envisages to
set-up a plant for assembly/manufacture of famous ‘Black Cabs’ of
U.K. locally and operate the said taxis as Satellite Controlled Taxi
Service in all major cities of Pakistan. He explained that the
object of PTL is to change the transport culture of Pakistan thereby
providing for most civilized transport facilities to the commuters,
which will not only be comfortable, safe, but also economical. The
proposed project will not only boost up the soft image of Pakistan
but will also be highly job intensive.
Mr. Dawood
Khan informed the President that while the Board of Investment under
the able guidance of Mr. Umer Ahmed Ghuman was extending
unprecedented support to the investors, there were several
bottlenecks in smooth implementation of the project, which needs to
be checked both on Federal as well as Provincial levels.
The project
was discussed in greater details and the meeting expressed its
satisfaction on the progress so far made. The President of Pakistan
appreciated the efforts and expressed his keen desire to make the
project a success. He acknowledged that the Black Cabs were most
prestigious mode of public transport in the United Kingdom. Its
introduction in Pakistan is most desirable initiatives, which must
be appreciated and encouraged. He directed the concerned Ministries
to iron out all impediments in implementation of the project and
directed the concerned quarters to grant the concessions, licenses
and permission asked for by the PTL on fast track basis.
This being
the first high level meeting regarding initiatives on investment, it
was given a wide coverage by National and International press. The
investors including Mr. M. Dawood Khan were interviewed by the print
and electronic medias, which interviews were relayed by various
national and international T.V. channels. Mr. Dawood expressed that
the meeting was heart warming and the keen interest being taken by
the President and the Government of Pakistan in promotion of
investments and industrialization not only provides for a congenial
atmosphere for investments but will go a long way in development of
Pakistan. Replying to a question he informed that the operations
will be fully Satellite Controlled, whereby the taxis will be
available on call by any means I.e. telephone SMS or e-mail at the
door steps of the commuters and the fare will be charged at the same
rate as applicable to the other Taxis. |
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