LONDON: Pakistan High Commission London in collaboration with Department ofInternational Trade (DIT), United Kingdom (UK) would organize a highprofile trade and investment conference in May this year , a seniorofficial of the Commission said.
For the promotion of trade and investment between Pakistan and UnitedKingdon, the conference will focus on sectors including Financial service,retail, information technology (IT) and energy sector .
While a dedicated segment on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC),keeping in view of British government’s keen interest in the corridor wouldalso be addressed in the conference, Sajid Mehmood Raja, CommercialCounsellor of Pakistan High Commission told APP here Saturday.
Due to the efforts and personal interest of Pakistan High Commission to UK,Syed Ibne Abbas , the DIT UKhas provided the prestigious and iconicMention’s House facilty to Pakistan for organizing this event which is anhonour for our country, he remarked.
He added that Minister for Commerce in Board of Investment (BOI) andrepresentatives from the Federationof Pakistan Chambers of Commerce &Industry (FPCCI) and Pakistan’s local chambers and business community wouldattend the conference and interact with the British business community andother investors.
He said that Pakistan’s exports to UK witness 8 percent increase during thecalendar year of 2017.
Sajid Mehmood said that Pakistan High Commission London (PHC) under theleadership of High Commissioner Syed Ibne Abbas was making efforts tofurther boost up Pak-UK trade and investment relations for the benefit ofthe people of the two friendly countries.
He said that Great Britain had strongly supported Pakistan for granting ofGSP Plus facility by the European Union(EU) adding said that the UK hasalso announced that this duty-free access facility to Pakistan would becontinued even after the post Brexit trade scenario.
The senior official said that UK is the third largest partner and exportdestination with pounds 1.2 billion merchandise trade and goods in the year2017.
He added that in terms of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), UK is also thelargest investor/donor in Pakistan among the European Countries, heremarked.
The Senior Commercial Section official informed that due to the efforts ofPakistan’s High Commissioner to UK Syed Ibne Hassan, a number of highprofile visits were taken place in Pakistan including visits by Minister ofinternational trade Greg Hands, Lord Mayer Andrew Parmley added that visitand appointment of Rehman Chishti MP as British Trade envoy to Pakistan isa big achievement due to the effort of Pakistan High Commission London asit would help boost further trade and investment relations between Pakistanand UK.
The Commercial Section High official further informed that UK has takenkeen interest and rendered strong support to the multi-billion dollarsChina Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project and wished for being itsbusiness partners, which is another big achievement on the part of PakistanHigh Commission, UK, he concluded. – APP