KARACHI - Foreign delegates from China, Hong Kong, Germany, Tunisia and Indonesia have expressed seriousness towards undertaking joint ventures and exploring investment opportunities in Pakistan, particularly Karachi where the mainstream business and economic activities continue to take place in full swing and the improved law & order situation has resulted in attracting many potential investors from around the world who are keen to initiate or expand business ties with their counterparts in Karachi.

Exchanging views with President Karachi Chamber Muffasar Atta Malik and KCCI Managing Committee members at the B2B sessions held at Karachi Chamber’s Pavilion at the ongoing 10th Expo Pakistan Exhibition, foreign businesspersons, investors and industrialists mostly inquired about the potential sectors, security situation, investment policies, business climate, taxation policies and the incentives being offered to foreign investors.

Leader of a delegation from Hong Kong and Vice President of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong (PCCHK), Dr Ellen Lau, who was also accompanied by Consul General of Pakistan in Hong Kong Abdul Qadir Memon and other delegates, said that the delegation was looking forward for investment opportunities in the health, education, infrastructure development, mining, banking and other important sectors of the economy.

She said that Karachi city has developed very well and this was the right time to invest here. Keeping in view the improved situation, many airlines from Hong Kong and China were pretty much interested in expanding their flight operations to Karachi. PCCHK and KCCI must work together and make collective efforts to facilitate trade and investment, she added.

On the occasion, Pakistan’s Consul General in Hong Kong Abdul Qadir Memon advised KCCI and PCCHK to jointly organise Trade & Investment Conference either in Karachi or Hong Kong which will not only help in bringing the business communities more close to each other but will also prove favorable in terms of exploring new avenues of trade and investment cooperation.

Ambassador of Tunisia, Adel Elarbi, while sharing views with KCCI office bearers, said that the business community of Pakistan can surely benefit by expanding trade and investment ties with Tunisia which is very near to European and African markets.

He said that Pakistan and Tunisia have been enjoying excellent relations and the Tunisian business community often visits Pakistan but not much trade missions from Pakistan were visiting Tunisia which requires attention.

A German delegation, which was led by Manager International Affairs Metro AG, Moritz Seiler stated that although Metro was successfully doing business in Pakistan but now they want to further expand their operations by opening more franchising stores.

Foreigners meet commerce minister

on 2nd day of Expo Pakistan

On the 2nd day of the Expo Pakistan 2017, delegations from Vietnam, the Netherlands, Jordan, Argentina and Turkey met with the Federal Minister of Commerce, Mohammad Pervaiz Malik, Federal Secretary for Commerce, Mohammad Younus Dagha, and Inamullah Khan, Secretary TDAP, and discussed special bilateral trade hurdles and opportunities, and how the same could be addressed in order to increase trade with Pakistan.

Leading businessmen from the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) and Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) held meetings with the trade delegates from Russia, UK, Thailand, Tunisia, Australia, Vietnam, Netherlands, Jordan, Argentina, Italy, Kenya, Belgium, Japan, Turkey, Sweden and Lithuania during the second day of the Expo Pakistan 2017. In addition, Joint Business Councils (JBCs) of FPCCI with UK and Morocco also met on the occasion; FPCCI signed MoU with its counterpart from Hong Kong and they expected to sign MoU with their Australian counterparts by the end of the day.

On the sidelines of Expo, TDAP also arranged outside meetings of businessmen from Thailand and Bangladesh with the Sindh Board of Investment with a view to explore the possibilities of investment opportunities in the province. Further, a meeting of office bearers of Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce was also held in the EXPO.

The delegation from Vietnam raised the issue of lack of direct payment between Pakistan and Vietnam, which was hurting the trade interests of the two countries, which was discussed to be resolved by arranging meeting between the banking authorities of the two countries. Besides, a number of trade deals were negotiated by the M/s. Towellers with buyers from UK, USA & Europe. This time, the trade delegation from the Netherlands (led by the Pakistan Ambassador at the Hague) is biggest in the history of such delegations from the Netherlands to Pakistan on the occasion of the Expo Pakistan. Besides, Qatari delegation showed particular interest in setting-up food chains outlets in Pakistan.