MACQUARIE GROUP UK TO EXPLORE INVESTMENT AREAS IN PAKISTAN

Islamabad, December 31, 2009

In a meeting with Senator Waqar Ahmed Khan Federal Minister for Privatisation, Mr. Simon Barril Senior Managing Director of Macquaire Group of UK has expressed to explore investment opportunities during an upcoming visit to Pakistan, says a message received from London here today.

Senator Waqar Ahmed Khan Federal Minister for Privatisation is currently in UK to meet and brief the heads of world’s top investment and business groups regarding the Privatisation Program and the incentives being offered through investment and privatisation policies.

The Minister stated that Pakistan has opened all the sectors for investment and trade without any discrimination among the local and foreign investors by providing level playing field, improving macro economic indicators through consistency and continuity of economic, investment and trade policies and also by making the tax system simple. Pakistan provides attractive Privatisation and Investment Programmes with remarkable incentives for the local and the foreign investors. The Privatisation Commission was interacting with the private sector in various countries to create awareness regarding the privatisation and investment opportunities available in Pakistan through Public Private Partnership, he said.

Mr. Simon Barril Senior Managing Director of Macquaire Group of UK informed the Minister that there was tremendous scope for his group to extend banking, financial, advisory, investment and funds management services to Pakistan. Macquarie’s main business focus was making returns by providing a diversified range of services to clients as Macquarie acts on behalf of institutional, corporate and retail clients and counterparties around the world, he added.

The Group operates in more than 70 office locations in 28 countries with employees strength of 12,700 and asset management of $A216 billion.

Mr. Simon also appreciated the reconciliation process and political stability through democratic process in Pakistan and paid tribute to Martyred leader Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and the present political leadership for reviving political and economic stability.