The Acting Consul General of United States, Ms Kay L. Anske, while visiting the Site Association of Trade & Industry on Thursday had assured Pakistani business community of full co-operation and support to meet the challenges of WTO regime.
She said that her government considered Pakistan as its one of the close strategic and trade partners and gave it due importance. US government was committed to Pakistan as one of its important allies and looking at to resolve the genuine problems of Pakistani businessmen to enhance trade ties between the two countries.
She specially mentioned that being a business hub of the country and greater than 87 UN countries, her government gave special emphasis on the development of Karachi.
However she advised the businessmen that instead of asking US government to accommodate them, they should be smart enough to compete in the international market.
Earlier, Chairman SITE Association, Muhammad Nisar Sheikhani highlighted close and strong trade relations the two countries had been enjoying for years.
He pointed out that 23 percent of total exports of Pakistan in 2003, comprising mainly textile and textile made ups accounted for USA, against only six percent of its total imports from USA, providing a favourable trade imbalance edge to Pakistan.
He identified IT and telecommunication as the potential areas for enhancing trade co-operation between the two countries and sought US help in the field of environment protection including installation of effluent treatment plant and solid waste management. He also presented a shield to the US Consul General.
Chairman, SITE Association Committee for Liaison with Foreign Missions, Majyd Aziz raised many issues impeding Pakistani industrialists to access US market and asked for a level playing field. He observed that greater access to US market would enable Pakistan to overcome on its unemployment problem.
Another prominent businessman, Zubair Motiwala urged on US government to relax its visa policy for business community and suggested categorisation of visa applicants for this purpose. Patron-in-Chief, SITE Association, Siraj Kassim Teli and MD, SITE Association, Captain Hashim Raza Zaidi (Retd) also spoke on the occasion.