The president of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry has appealed to business figures, philanthropists and Pakistanis abroad to help expand quality education and skills programmes for children in Balochistan. Sardar Tahir Mehmood said investing in the province’s young people amounts to investing in Pakistan’s overall prosperity and development. He noted that Pakistan’s population of around 250 million represents significant opportunities for investment and economic cooperation. Mehmood added that foreign investors are increasingly interested in Pakistan due to its large consumer base, labour supply, tariff benefits and lower business costs. The appeal was made at an event organised by the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry in partnership with Al Hijrah Schools Trust and Win Win Marketing. The founder of Al Hijrah Schools Trust outlined the organisation’s history since its establishment in Birmingham in 1988, and noted its expansion into Pakistan beginning in 2001 when it signed an agreement with the Balochistan government to open schools in the province.