KARACHI: Foreign investors have expressed their satisfaction over the improved security situation of the country following the substantial reduction of crimes and incidents of terrorism, says OICCI’s 2017 annual security survey which was conducted in June 2017.
The survey highlights a positive movement in OICCI members’ perception of the country’s security environment. This comprehensive security survey is conducted every year since 2015. It reflects the foreign investors’ perception on the improving security environment in the country especially after the launch of 2013 Karachi operations.
The 2017 security survey respondents experienced a reduction in the overall street crimes with a 69% reduction in petty crimes i.e. mobile and cash snatching and 90% decrease in the higher intensity street crimes like car snatching. In respect of serious crimes like abductions/hostage taking and “Bhatta” (extortion) demands-respondents across Pakistan reported major reductions as compared to 2016, ranging from 94% decrease in Lahore, closely followed by rest of Punjab and KPK (93%) and Karachi (92%).
OICCI members have reported significant improvement in the confidence and comfort of their staff on security matters which had gone up further after 86% increase reported in the previous survey, as the staff now feel even more comfortable in their everyday commute to/from the workplace.
More significantly a noteworthy feedback from the latest OICCI security survey is a higher number of expatriate business visitors have traveled to Pakistan in the past one year and most of the business related meetings are now being held in Pakistan which prior to August 2013 were conducted in other countries due to security concerns. This is a strong indicator that Pakistan as a destination has improved on the security concerns map and that such foreign businessmen are being granted travel permissions for their visit to Pakistan from their respective embassies and travel security agencies. An overwhelming 62% respondents reported substantial increase in the number of overseas visitors to Pakistan as compared to last year. The highest number of OICCI members foreign visitors were from European countries, including UK, followed closely by visitors from Middle East, China, Singapore, USA and Japan.
Commenting on the survey findings, OICCI President Khalid Mansoor said that “2017 survey once again re-affirms that threats and security concerns have substantially reduced in Pakistan for all key stakeholders of businesses including OICCI members. The security environment has substantially improved not only for the survey participants, meaning foreign investors, but also for their customers, suppliers and employees.”