British High Commissioner Mark Lyall has said that recent meetings of British Prime Minister Tony Blair with President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has resulted in mutual understanding between the two countries to prosper.
Addressing members of Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) here on Friday, he said that recent Senate and local government elections and reforms in Pakistan reflected the internal economic stability.
Lyall disclosed that the UK was willing to eliminate the causes of unemployment, poverty and illiteracy from Pakistan and for this purpose, the British government had approves 236 million pounds as grant.
He said: "We are starting soon some millennium development projects along with the City District Government of Faisalabad." These development projects would be costing Rs 236 millions.
He said it was learnt that due to investment-friendly policies of President Musharraf government, the economy of Pakistan was grooming.
The High Commissioner said the British Embassy was the biggest visa-processing embassy in Pakistan in 2005. It processed 16,5000 applications, while the US Embassy processed only 50,000 visa applications, he added.
Responding to a question, Lyall said that Britain was now giving attention to virtual catalogue industrial exhibitions through electronic devices like internet rather than catalogue exhibition, and added: "We will try our best to encourage the businessmen platforms of Pakistan like FCCI."
Earlier, FCCI President Mian Muhammad Hanif, in his welcome speech, said that trade between Pakistan and the UK had been on increase and likely to touch the level of two billion dollars.
He said that many industrialists were interested to invest in the UK, and similarly many investors from the UK were keen to invest in Pakistan because of the investment-friendly policies of the government.
Later talking to newsmen, the British High Commissioner said that US nuclear pact with India was the need of time, but no such agreement could be signed with Pakistan.
He said that India and Pakistan were two different countries with different needs. They must be treated according to their strategic importance, he added.
Mark Lyall said that for economic stability in South Asia, Pakistan and India should resolve their disputes, including core issue of Kashmir.