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KARACHI, Nov 30 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has stressed the need for an increase in interaction between the business communities of Pakistan and UAE to boost trade ties. “I direct Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and the Ministry of Commerce to facilitate the visits by the business delegations of both the countries,” he said while addressing the dinner-reception in honour of the visiting UAE delegates at Governor House Wednesday night. He said the Pakistan is a land of vast opportunities and investment with a promise of good profit return. “We would extend all possible facilitation to the UAE investors and the exhibition of UAE products in the economic hub of the country is a milestone in strengthening the bonds between the respective business communities.
The Minister for UAE Sheikha Lubna
bint-e-Khalid Al-Qasimi, Governor Sindh, Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan, Chief
Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin
Fahim, diplomats and leading businessmen were also present.
The Prime Minister said that UAE
Expo in Karachi would prove to be a big achievement in marketing of vast
range of products manufactured in the Emirates.
“The Expo depicted the rich culture
of brotherly United Arab Emirates (UAE) and truly highlighted the
outstanding development achieved by UAE during the last few decades,” he
observed.
He said that bilateral relations
have acquired new dimensions in political, economic and social fields
and both nations enjoy unanimity of views on various regional and
international issues.
The UAE played an active role
during the formation of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan Forum. It
hosted a number of meetings of the Forum at ministerial and
public-private levels to highlight the importance of socio-economic
development of Pakistan, he maintained.
Prime Minister Gilani said the
strategic partnership between Pakistan and UAE is characterized by
extensive cooperation in various fields and there is need to increase
the quantum of trade.
He also praised the efforts of UAE
Consul General Sohail bin Mater who, under the dynamic leadership of
Sheikha Lubna, successfully organised the exhibition.
He said the people of Pakistan
would eternally remain indebted to the UAE people who have always
contributed generously in case of natural calamities, be it earthquake
of 2005 or unprecedented floods of 2010.
“We cannot not ever forget the hard
work done by the rescue teams from UAE, Military Relief Force,
charitable foundations in the rescue, distribution of supplies and
rehabilitation of victims of earthquake and floods through lengthy
operations in the most flood affected regions of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistsan provinces,” he said.
Addressing the reception, UAE
Minister Shaikha Lubna said that during her interaction with her
Pakistani counterpart, Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim, it was decided that
exhibition by the UAE companies will be now an annual feature.
She also invited the Pakistani business entrepreneurs to UAE to explore business ventures.
She said that the UAE already had investment of over dollars 20 billion in Pakistan in various sectors of economy including oil, gas, aviation, energy, telecom and real estate and hoped that the Expo would prove to be a catalyst to increase commercial relations, particularly the SMEs would take benefit of it.
In his remarks, Minister Amin Fahim
also called for increased bilateral business relations and stressed the
UAE investors to explore the possibilities of investment in energy
sector of Pakistan, particularly, the Thar coal reserves.
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