Ambassador of Netherlands Ardi Stoios-Braken Tuesday said that her country is desirous of promoting cooperation with Punjab in livestock and dairy sectors. "Pakistan is a peaceful country and steps would be taken to enhance cooperation with the Punjab government in different sectors," she said this during a meeting with the Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, here today.
Different matters of mutual interest including promotion of bilateral relations and increase in cooperation in different sectors were discussed on the occasion. Ambassador of Netherlands further said that many opportunities of cooperation are available in the agriculture sector of the Punjab.
Shahbaz Sharif said that Pakistan and Netherlands enjoy good cordial relations and added that Netherlands has exclusive expertise in livestock, agriculture, dairy farming and water management sectors. He said that Punjab is an agrarian province and promotion of agricultural economy is the priority of the government. "There is a tremendous potential to increase mutual cooperation in agriculture sector between the two countries. We are desirous of enhancing cooperation with Netherlands in the energy sector as well and both the countries are needed to further expand their economic corporation," he added.
He said the government of PML-N has completed energy projects of thousands of megawatts capacity in a record period of time and the load-shedding has been eliminated due to the completion of these projects. He added the Punjab government has installed 400 megawatts solar power plant while work is in progress on 300 mg power plants. Meanwhile, thousands of megawatts electricity has been generated from the gas-based power projects.
He said that vast opportunities for investment are available in different sectors in the Punjab and foreign investors have been provided special facilities for investment. Provincial Minister for Finance Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Secretary P&D, MD Lahore Solid Waste Management Company and concerned officials were present on the occasion.