The High Commissioner of New Zealand to Pakistan Niels Holm on Friday expressed hope that all the obstacles for the return of Pakistan into the Commonwealth as a full member would hopefully be removed soon and said New Zealand supports Pakistan's return to the Commonwealth fold.
He was addressing the New Zealand National Day gathering hosted by him along with Moin Fudda, the Honorary Consul General of New Zealand in Karachi besides being the Managing Director of Karachi Stock Exchange.
The High Commissioner said that New Zealand enjoys very close ties with Pakistan in the culture and sports especially cricket.
He expressed happiness that the two-way trade between Pakistan and New Zealand in the last financial year had crossed the Hundred Million New Zealand dollars mark and the balance of trade was favourable for Pakistan. Niels Holm said there were vast opportunities to further expand this trade volume.
The High Commissioner said New Zealand had also contributed in a modest way to the various projects of public welfare undertaken by several NGOs in Pakistan and in this allocation of funds the advise of Moin Fudda had been very helpful.
Federal Minister for Privatisation and Investment, Dr Abdul Hafiz Shaikh speaking on the occasion said the support extended by the New Zealand in the social welfare field was laudable and its support for Pakistan's restoration of Commonwealth membership was also most welcome.
While the Sindh Finance Minister Sardar Ahmed Khan in his address recalled Churchill's words that trade not aid should be the objective for economic revival and progress. He urged that there should be more trade between Pakistan and New Zealand.
Moin Fudda thanked the speakers and the guests for attending the reception marking New Zealand National Day.
Among those who attended the reception were H.E. Dr Hasan A Attar, Saudi Arabian Consul General, the Chinese Consul General, Sun Chenye, Consul General of Switzerland, Bruno Pasquino, acting Consul General of Qatar, Hasan Al-Jaber and Indonesian Vice Consuls Tribrote and Gepokson besides leading industrialists and bankers including Habib Bank President Zaki Mahmood.