The American Business Council of Pakistan (ABC) was formed in 1984 and has completed 34 years of service to Pakistan and playing a major role in bridging investments from the United States.
The ABC is one of the largest investors group in Pakistan – currently, we have 65 members and most of them are Fortune 500 companies. They operate in various sectors i.e. healthcare, financial services, information technology, chemicals & fertilizers, energy, FMCG, food & beverage, oil & gas and others. ABC members have cumulative gross revenues of US$ 4.0 billion. Our members contribute a sizable amount to the national exchequer every year as direct and indirect taxes – last year they contributed Rs. 119 billion. The ABC members also employ over 68,500 people directly who support 275,000 dependents and indirectly employ nearly one million people with agents, distributors, contractors, etc.
The Council is managed by an Executive Committee that is elected every year by its members and meets monthly to review various aspects of its ongoing initiatives. Depending on the economic cycle the initiatives may vary from year to year. Sub-Committees are formed, which meet regularly, to ensure that adequate focus is given to important issues affecting majority of Council membership.
The ABC is an effective channel for dialogue with the Government of Pakistan. Regular suggestions and input for improvement are provided to the relevant bodies like ministries, regulatory and tax authorities, etc., throughout the year. The focus of the Executive Committee is to ensure that the ABC’s suggestions are incorporated in the annual Federal Budget and Trade Policy. The Council also facilitates direct interaction with the Federal and Provincial governments through its guest speakers’ program, seminars and events all of which are aimed at sustaining an ongoing dialogue.
“The US will remain one of Norway’s most important trading partners in the years to come. However, we shall not take our trade relations for granted. My ministry therefore gives high priority to continuing our good dialogue with our American colleagues. We also appreciate the work that AmCham does to strengthen business cooperation between our countries. Going forward, I look forward to continuing our close cooperation.”
