LONDON: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday said that with inflation at 13-year low, improved GDP growth and high forex reserves, the country’s economy is turning around.

Talking to newsmen after his arrival here on the invitation of British Prime Minister David Cameron, he also mentioned the reduction in the prices of petroleum products, causing a slash in the production cost of electricity.

In this improved economic conditions, he said, the foreign companies and entrepreneurs should come forward and invest in Pakistan, adding, the country would soon get rid of the electricity and gas crises. Talking about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Prime Minister termed the visit “very productive” and said the Chinese investment of $ 46 billion under the CPEC was unprecedented.

He said such a huge investment was not brought to the country during the last decades that had been achieved within a single visit of the Chinese President.

The Prime Minister said investors should start planning their future projects for Pakistan that could take a couple of years and in the meanwhile the country would get rid of gas and power crises.

To a question, he said a gas pipeline would be laid from Karachi to Gwadar and Nawabshah; power project was being installed at Port Qasim.

Gwadar would be turned into an international city with the construction of an international airport there, he added.

Wind power projects would be installed in Sindh, coal-fired power plants in the Punjab and road network from Khunjrab to Mansehra and Islamabad would be laid, he said, adding, work on the Hazara Motorway has already been launched.

The Prime Minister said the Corridor project will also benefit AJK, as Karote Power project would be installed whereas work on Neelum Jhelum Hydropower project is already under way.

He said the Economic Corridor will benefit the whole of country through various road and power projects in all the provinces.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urged media to mainly focus on country’s economy to aware the world that Pakistan is a fast developing country.

Media should also highlight the positive developments in the country like reduction in petroleum and electricity prices, he added.

He said the international media has already recognized the positive trends of the Pakistan’s economy as well as country’s foreign policy.

To a question, the Prime Minister said the overseas Pakistanis are also witnessing the economic uplift of the country and the Chinese investment in Pakistan.

Responding to a question, Nawaz Sharif said some elements do not want to see Pakistan prospering and want to sabotage future investment. “But, all of us will have to defeat their designs. Pakistan will, Insha Allah, achieve progress,” he added.

He hoped that all the planned projects would be installed and completed successfully and the government would ensure the security of all these projects. The Prime Minister in this respect mentioned the government’s decision to raise a force exclusively for providing security cover to the Chinese workers.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, to another question, said the visit of Chinese President was earlier delayed due to the sit-in in Islamabad by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

He said with the recent visit of President Xi, Pak-China relations have further strengthened.

About his recent visit to Saudi Arabia, the Prime Minister said he had constructive engagement with the Saudi leadership and hoped that the Yemen crisis would be resolved politically.

He dispelled the impression as if Saudi Arabia had handed over any ‘wish list’ to Pakistan during the recent visit. “There was nothing of this sort,” the Prime Minister responded to a question.

The Prime Minister said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have close and brotherly relations and Pakistan wants to further strengthen these relations, adding, the two have always stood with each other in difficult times.

The Prime Minister said during the recent visit, the Saudi leadership has been assured that if any threat comes to the territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan would stand shoulder to shoulder with the Kingdom.

He said the resolution passed by the joint sitting of Parliament also carried the same message, but some misunderstandings were created about the document.

Asked about the Pakistan-UK relations, the Prime Minister said both the countries enjoyed cordial ties and were close friends and the UK always supported Pakistan.

Nawaz Sharif said he would meet his British counterpart on Saturday, hoping that it would help further strengthen bilateral ties.—APP