Light at the end of the tunnel

27 years after leading Pakistan to its only World Cup victory, Imran Khan is now the Prime Minister of Islamic Republic.

Although he has faced severe criticism lately for failing to overcome the economic crisis, the former cricket hero has done enough to prove his leadership skills.

He came to power at a time when the country’s economy was on decline while it was being isolated internationally on one pretext or the other.

But Khan not only did succeed in steering country out of economic crisis and end its isolation; he also kept India at bay during the recent hostilities between Pakistan and India.

Imran Khan should also be credited for the humiliation India has to face in OIC meeting.

While it is only the beginning of PTI government, even critics are forced to appreciate Imran Khan’s performance on diplomatic front.

 Editorials and reports published in international newspapers praised the Pakistani leader for de-escalating the situation between the two nuclear armed nations by acting as a true statesman.

It is said that when your intentions are good divine forces come to your help.

Latest reports suggest that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

It has emerged that a famous business group in Singapore intends to bring heavy investment of $4billion to Pakistan out of which two billion dollars would be invested in country’s shipping sector and two billion dollars in livestock sector.

Cargo ships worth $10 million to $50 million are expected to be  included in Pakistan’s shipping sector in the next five years.

It would create employment opportunities for at least 5,000 people.

The move would also help Pakistan save $4billion annually which it pays to foreign shipping companies.

Irfan Siddiqui, a senior columnist based in Japan, wrote in his Jang column that chairman of a famous Singapore shipping company was expected to meet the prime minister in the coming days.

If all goes according to the plan, investment in Pakistan’s shipping sector would begin within the next few months.

Quoting Latif Siddiqui, the chairman of shipping company in Singapore, Siddiqui wrote all that the investor wants from Pakistan is a guarantee that their investment would have government’s protection.

He said that after the launching of China Pakistan Economic Corridor, a shipping company in private sector was need of the hour.

“After through research and preparations we have set the target of $2billion with 50 large cargo ships,” Latif Siddiqui was quoted as saying.

On the livestock front Investors from Singapore and Australia are willing to spend $2 billion.

Australia exports $24 billion worth livestock annually which largely consists of sheep, to Arab countries.

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia alone import two and three million sheep from Australia respectively.

However, animal rights organizations in Australia have pressured the government into banning the export of sheep, causing huge losses to exporters.

The Australian exporters have now signed an agreement with a Singaporean company under which they will spend $2billion in livestock sector in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s weather conditions are considered perfect for breeding of Australian sheep. This investment is also expected to provide employment opportunities to thousands of Pakistanis.

 With all these prospects, if prime minister’s announcement of good news regarding oil discovery off Karachi turns out to be a reality Pakistan is bound to prosper in the next five years under the former cricket hero.