Pakistan Consulate Office in Shanghai will start working by the end of next months, which would help give boost to economic ties and people-to-people contacts between the two countries. Speaker National Assembly Chaudhry Amir Hussain has said this during his meeting held here with Chairman Standing Committee of Shanghai People's Congress Gong Xueping.
Amir Hussain, who is currently on 10-day visit to China as the head of 20-member parliamentary delegation, held detailed meeting with the city leader.
Official sources told newsman that the two sides agreed to take necessary steps to provide trade and investment facilities to their businessmen.
Gong Xueping said the Chinese leadership attached great importance to its relations with Pakistan and wished to develop comprehensive partnership in all areas of bilateral interest.
He proposed that their existing interaction and co-operation should be expanded to city and district levels for achieving the desired results, and hoped that proposed Consulate office would help explore new business opportunities for their mutual benefit.
He lauded the existing co-operation between the two friendly countries to combat terrorism and promote regional peace and security.
Amir Hussain said Pakistan was looking forward to translate their existing diplomatic ties for the economic benefits of the people. He appreciated China's support for undertaking important development projects in Pakistan.
According to the sources, Shanghai enjoyed a status of business capital of China, where more than 40,000 companies were operating.
The Pakistan consulate office in Shanghai would provide a direct access to Pakistani exporters to their potential Chinese and other international buyers, he added.
It would also extend charged facility of telephone and fax in addition to arranging translators for the visiting Pakistani delegates and exporters, he said.
Pakistan government has already appointed a former commercial counsellor in Beijing, Zafar Mahmood, as head of its Shanghai missions, which will be set up at a rented property temporarily. Own consulate building will be constructed later, for which the Chinese government has already allotted a piece of land.
Meanwhile, the delegation of the National Assembly left here for another Chinese City, Nanjing. It is scheduled to return home on Friday.