'Timing of Musharraf's visit to energise

Pakistan's High Commissioner to Britain Dr Maleeha Lodhi has expressed her confidence the timing of President General Pervez Musharraf's 3-day official visit will certainly energise relations between the two countries. The significance of the visit is its timing because Britain will be assuming Presidency of the European Union and G-8 next year and would take over the command of Nato International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan by end of next year which would further increase importance of UK.
So President Musharraf's visit could not have been better timed, said Maleeha while participating in a discussion at ARY Digital on the various aspects of the visit of the President who is arriving here on Sunday.
"I can say with confidence that Pakistan-UK relations would be further strengthened and energised by the visit of President Musharraf," said the envoy.
One of the major objectives of his visit to London was to urge British Prime Minister Tony Blair to increase market access and emphasised the need for creating equitable global trading system, Maleeha said.
She said both the European Union (EU) and Britain had placed restrictions in way of Pakistani exports as they could not produce the same quality of goods at a relatively low cost. The quota regime would go in view of the World Trade Organisation regime next year.
However, she said that despite protectionist policies of the developed world, the achievements of Pakistan should be recognised. She said despite difficulties 102 British companies were doing business in Pakistan because it offered investor-friendly ambience hence they were making money.
Answering a question, she said, President Musharraf during his visit of Latin American countries had time and gain called for addressing the political disputes like Palestine and Indian occupied Kashmir.
Maleeha said it was time the West should seriously address the concerns and fears of the Muslims in a sustained manner.
She said, the time has come really for the West also to do their part and address Muslim's concerns.