ISLAMABAD - President Asif Ali Zardari Friday directed the finance team of the government to consider the feasibility of floating infrastructure bonds for raising equity for building infrastructure projects. Chairing a meeting of finance team of the government at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the President said that Pakistan needed to build massive infrastructure projects but it lacked financial resources for the purpose. It may therefore be advisable to raise equity through infrastructure bonds, he said, adding that the infrastructure projects would create economic and business activities in the country on one side and help generate employment opportunities on the other. Discussing futuristic concept of investment in the country, the President directed the governments finance team to prepare a workable plan in the shortest possible time by taking into account all aspects of the proposal for raising equity through floating infrastructure bonds. He said that early finalisation of currency swap agreements with Turkey and Sri Lanka would further strengthen the mutual trade and economic ties of Pakistan with these countries and help reduce pressure on their foreign exchange reserves. The meeting of finance team of the government took stock of the overall financial and economic situation of the country and various measures being undertaken to address the economic issues facing the country. The meeting was attended by Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Federal Minister for Finance, Revenue & Economic Affairs, M Salman Faruqui, Secretary General to the President, Yasin Anwar, Acting Governor State Bank of Pakistan, Khalil Ahmad, Ambassador at Large, Dr Waqar Masood Khan, Secretary Finance, Salman Siddique, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue, and Spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar. Briefing the media about the meeting, Farhatullah Babar said that a detailed briefing was given on the financial and economic situation, revenue collection measures, status of proposed currency swap agreements with Turkey and Sri Lanka, measures for increasing remittances through incentives to Pakistanis working abroad and documentation of economy. He said the President was briefed about the Pakistan Remittance Initiative (PRI) and the significant increase in the inflows of remittances as a result of the incentives policy. He said that the President urged for vigorous implementation of the incentive packages for expatriate Pakistanis to curb the illegal flow of remittances and facilitate their flow through official channels. The President also asked for encouraging overseas Pakistanis to fully avail from the governments incentive package for expatriate Pakistanis to send home remittances through legal channels so as to maximise the inflow of capital.