Foreigners upbeat about security.

Foreign investors have shown a high level of satisfaction over the fast-improving security environment and have also appreciated the performance of law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in the main business centres of Pakistan - Karachi and Lahore, reported the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) Annual Security Survey 2020.

According to the survey, LEAs have raised the security satisfaction profile of the two cities and brought them on a par with other megacities in the region.

Commenting on the survey findings, OICCI President Haroon Rashid said, 'The smooth and professional handling of the brazen attack on Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on June 29 and the restoration of order within a very short time was a testimony to the OICCI members' confidence in the ability of LEAs to professionally combat any threat to life and property in the country.'

The OICCI president added, 'Foreign investors are not deterred by isolated incidents and continue to take a holistic view of the operating environment, which OICCI members perceive as a positive approach, showing continuous improvement.'

Survey respondents included CEOs and senior management of member organisations of the OICCI and 70% of the OICCI's 200 members, who belong to 35 countries and operate in 14 key sectors of the economy in Pakistan, participated in the survey.

It may be noted that over two-thirds of the OICCI members had their head offices in Karachi with operations all over the country. The survey was conducted from May 15 to June 22.

The OICCI 2020 Security Survey indicates that foreign investors overall were impressed with further improvement in the security environment over the past 12 months, since July 2019, especially in Karachi and Lahore, with a noticeable improvement in other business centres as well.

Giving an assessment of the overall security situation, 60% of the respondents have reported improved security environment for their own and customers' business, as well as for their...