British Member Parliament Harry Cohen has said that Pakistan needs to focus on education if it wants to avail the benefits of technological advancements being made by the West.
The British Member Parliament, who was heading an 11-member Parliamentary delegation, was speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) here on Saturday.
LCCI Acting President Yaqoob Tahir Izhar, Senator Zafar Iqbal, Kashmala Tariq MNA, former LCCI Senior Vice-President Sohail Lashari and Executive Committee member Syed Mohammad Umair were also present on the occasion. The British delegation consisted of Lord Nazir Ahmad, Lord Bhattia, Baroness Hooper and Baroness Linsay, Leader of Conservative Party Robert Smith and Andrew Tuggey.
The UK Member Parliament maintained that Britain acknowledges Pakistan's efforts for poverty alleviation and economic revival but the most important is the education, which is the only way to cope with the global economic challenges facing Pakistan. He called for adopting special measures for the development of SMEs and termed it vital for bringing down the graph of unemployment.
The members of the delegation appreciated the economic reforms initiated by the present government for the promotion of trade and investment in Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, LCCI Acting President Yaqoob Tahir Izhar said that enhancement in trade and investment between the two countries is possible through active engagement of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the two countries, frequent exchange of economic and trade delegations to identify the areas of mutual interest and arranging single country exhibitions and also by holding socio-cultural programmes in each other's country. Participation of Pakistani exporters in the international trade fairs in UK and vice versa could also expand trade between the two countries," he added.
According to him, UK is one of the top six countries, which have made investment in Pakistan. British investment in Pakistan stood at 38 percent of total foreign investment made in Pakistan during July-September 2006. About 70 British multinationals have invested in various sectors.