Bilateral Trade will be increased with Pakistan and UK is ready to collaborate in higher education in Pakistan, said Arshad Rauf, Deputy Director, UK Trade and Investment, Pakistan. Addressing the members of Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), he said that there exists huge potential of enhancing bilateral trade and investment between UK and Pakistan and to follow the directive of UK Prime Minister, the trade volume will be increased to 2.5 billion Pounds from current 2.0 billion Pounds till 2015.
He said that the issue of delay in visa will be discussed with the UK High Commission in Islamabad. He told that UK High Commissioner might visit FCCI in near future. He told that UK has assisted Pakistan for grant of EU Autonomous Trade Preference package and will extend the same assistance and co-operation for grant of GSP Plus by EU in 2014 to Pakistan for duty-free exports of Pakistani products to EU countries. Resultantly, it will help for stabilisation and economic growth of Pakistan, he added.
He pointed out that UK Trade and Investment is taking steps to promote trade and investment between both the countries and many British educational institutions can open their branches in Pakistan in the near future. Earlier in his welcome address to the Deputy Director, UK Trade and Investment, President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) Mian Zahid Aslam said that UK and Pakistan enjoy unique people-to-people links with over one million British citizens having close family ties in Pakistan.
He maintained that UK is the enduring friend of the Government and the people of Pakistan; it has always vowed to deeper, stronger relationship with Pakistan in building up ties in trade, health and education sectors and humanitarian consideration at every test and time. The leading role played by UK Government for EU Autonomous Trade Preferences package to Pakistan is appreciative and hoped the same spirit of co-operation and assistance for grant of GSP Plus to Pakistan in 2014.
He said that the trade between the two countries is not up to the mark which during 2011 was US $2.0 billion where Pakistan's exports were US $1,320.52 million against imports from UK$686.26 million. Major exports from Pakistan are textiles and textile Made-ups, apparel, cotton yarn and woven fabrics, furniture and mattress while major imports are boiler and textile machinery, iron and steel, Telecom and Electrical equipment, etc. We believe that the volume of trade between the two countries will be increased significantly post-Autonomous Trade Preferences package by EU.
Comments
Comments are closed.