Dr. Muhammad Faisal, Pakistan’s Ambassador-designate to Germany said that German companies were now taking keen interest in Pakistan and business community of Pakistan should try to reach out to them for business collaborations and JVs. He was exchanging views with business community during his visit to Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Dr. Muhammad Faisal said that Germany was the largest economy of EU with advanced technology & machinery and Pakistan could achieve multiple benefits for its economy by developing close business relations with it. He said that private sector of Pakistan should step up efforts to explore new avenues of cooperation with German counterparts. He said that Pakistani manufacturers should focus on quality and price of their products to improve exports with Germany. He assured that he would fully cooperate with Pakistani business community in further enhancing bilateral trade relations with Germany and share business related information with ICCI so that its members could take advantage of potential business prospects with Germany.

Speaking at the occasion, Muhammad Ahmed Waheed, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry said that Germany was a big market for Pakistani exports, however, business community needed close cooperation from government side for more exposure to German and EU markets and stressed that Pakistan Embassy in Germany should play role for this purpose. He said that exports of many Pakistani products including textiles, pharmaceuticals and surgical instruments could be increased to Germany and Pakistani mission in Germany should help in promoting Made in Pakistan in German market. He said that a regular Trade Officer of Pakistan should be appointed in Berlin to cooperate with business community. He said that there were no leadership level exchanges between Pakistan and Germany for the last 6 years due to which private sector was facing problems in penetrating German market and urged that the current government should bridge this gap. He said that Pakistani manufacturers should be included in trade delegations for Germany and other countries that would help in enhancing country’s exports. He said that government should consider granting visa on arrival facility to German businessmen so that they could easily visit Pakistan and enhance business relations.

Tahir Abbasi Senior Vice President, Saif ur Rehman Khan Vice President ICCI, Zubair Ahmed Malik, Mian Shaukat Masud, Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, Mian Waqas Masud, Khalid Chaudhry, M. Aslam Khokhar, Naveed Malik and others also spoke at the occasion and shared useful ideas for further improving bilateral trade and economic relations between Pakistan and Germany.