LAHORE - Punajb Governor Ch Muhammad Sarwar on Tuesday inaugurated Consulate office of Republic of Slovakia, a country which helped Pakistan achieve GSP plus status and also supported its candidature for the UN Human Rights Council for the term 2013-15.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Slovakia Republic, Miroslav Lajcak was also present at the opening ceremony along with members of his delegation.  Malik Mohammad Asif, a business man, has been appointed as Honorary Consul General of Slovakia in the Lahore Consulate office located at Sher Khan Road, Lahore Cantonment.
“We appreciate Slovakia’s commitment to support Pakistan’s candidature for the UN Human Rights Council. We are confident that this mutual understanding and cooFperation will further strengthen to our mutual advantage”, Sarwar observed on the occasion.   The governor said that Pakistan valued Slovakia’s support within the European Union for Pakistan and its national interests and priorities. Indeed, Pakistan was gratified to receive your country’s backing on GSP Plus status, he said, adding that Pakistan secured an enhanced market access for its textiles products due to this status.  Governor said that he was confident that the opening of the Honorary Consulate in Lahore will facilitate enhanced business contacts between the two countries. He hoped that it would also help facilitate exchange of students and academicians. 
Earlier, a 19-member delegation of Slovakia Republic led by H.E. Miroslav Lajcak, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Slovakia Republic, called on the Governor at Governor House, Lahore.
Ch. Muhammad Sarwar said that Pakistan and Slovakia relations were based on mutual goodwill and understanding as well as converging views on important global issues and Pakistan intended to boost its bilateral ties with Slovakia which is a gate way to Europe.
He further stated that in order to strengthen bilateral relations there was a need to engage further at the political level as well as encourage contacts among the parliamentarians from both sides. “Pakistan, today, is a country where democracy is firmly entrenched. The present government is committed to improving the welfare of its people”, he remarked.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Slovakia Republic Miroslav Lajcak said that Slovakia attached great value to Pakistan and wanted to improve its bilateral relation with this country. He stressed the need for exchange of trade delegations and assured his country’s full support in this regard.